An Egyptian delegation headed by His Excellency professor Mohammed Aymen Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, participated in the British Council’s Going Global 2025 conference, held from 28 to 30 October at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, London.
Organised by the British Council, Going Global is a strategic forum for leaders in international education to connect, share knowledge and debate the future of further and higher education. This year’s theme, Resilience, Values, Innovation: Surviving and Thriving in a Volatile World, aligned closely with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and its commitment to building a flexible, inclusive and technology-driven higher education system.
This year’s conference brought together over 350 ministers, vice-chancellors, and higher education leaders from more than 58 countries to explore how tertiary education can adapt, uphold its civic role, and innovate amid global change.
The Egyptian delegation comprised senior representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Supreme Council of Universities, and leading Egyptian universities. Their participation reflected Egypt’s growing regional leadership in advancing digital transformation, flexible learning pathways, and TNE models that connect national priorities with global opportunities.
Susanna Carmody, Regional Education Director for the Middle East and North Africa, British Council, said:
“It’s been exciting to see the significant contributions from the Egyptian delegation during this year’s Going Global conference, which have highlighted globally relevant learning from Egypt’s experience of digital transformation in higher education and from the innovative model of technological universities. The conference has also provided a platform to reflect on Egypt’s strategic approach to TNE, which is particularly important in light of Egypt’s significance as a partner for TNE collaboration with the UK.”
According to UUKi’s most recent report, Egypt has strengthened its strategic position as a leading hub for UK transnational education (TNE). The country has moved from fifth to become the fourth-largest UK TNE host globally, with 32,040 students enrolled in 2023/24 – a 13% year-on-year increase and a remarkable 63.5% growth since 2019/20. Egypt now accounts for nearly 5% of all UK TNE enrolments worldwide, ranking just behind China, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.
Excellency professor Mohammed Aymen Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, commented:
“We are proud that Egypt now ranks fourth globally as a host of UK transnational education. This milestone reflects several years of steady growth in student enrolments and the expanding confidence of international partners in Egypt’s higher education system. It also highlights the strength of our partnership with the United Kingdom and Egypt’s leadership across both Africa and the Middle East, strengthening our role as a regional hub for quality and innovation in education.”
Egypt featured prominently in the session Responsive TNE Models for Emerging Markets in MENA, where Professor Mostafa Rifat, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Universities, joined representatives from the UAE, Bahrain and UK to discuss how policy makers are shaping a range of approaches to TNE collaboration in order to respond to local contexts and support national priorities.
On the second day, Professor Heba Salem, President of the 6th of October Technological University, contributed to a discussion on “How tertiary education can work collaboratively to drive change around gender inequality: learning from practice.” The session, which featured a panel and world café format, brought together voices from the UK, Malawi, Egypt, and Mauritius to share insights and practical strategies for advancing gender equality in tertiary education.
On the opening day, the delegation hosted a dedicated wraparound event titled Scaling Digital Higher Education in Egypt: Rapid Insights from Government, Industry and Universities, which marked the launch of the British Council’s new report Scaling Digital Higher Education in Egypt, the first comprehensive analysis of Egypt’s digital higher education landscape and its growing potential for UK–Egypt partnerships.
The event featured key contributors including Dr Gina El Feky (The Academy of Scientific Research & Technology), Elizabeth Newall (Jisc), Mike Winter OBE (University of London) and Pedro Moura (Coursera). Together, they explored how digital innovation, flexible learning pathways and UK–Egypt collaboration are expanding access to quality education, supporting research and building system resilience.
The new report highlights Egypt’s progress under Digital Egypt, the Egyptian Knowledge Bank and the digital Strategy for Higher Education 2025–2030, showing how policy and innovation are reshaping opportunities for learners and institutions. It offers practical recommendations to scale blended and online TNE models through enhanced regulation, affordability and co-creation with local partners.
Mark Howard, Country Director, British Council Egypt, said:
“Transnational education remains one of Egypt’s greatest strengths, reflecting its deep commitment to international collaboration and knowledge exchange. By building on this strong foundation and embracing digital transformation, Egypt is creating an innovative and globally connected higher education system. This new report highlights the expanding opportunities for UK–Egypt partnerships to shape the future of teaching and learning.”
Beyond the conference sessions, the Egyptian delegation joined campus tours and bilateral meetings with UK partners to explore collaboration in digital learning, research and skills development.
