Flailing economy hurts Egyptian students and universities

Egypt¡¯s continuing economic woes are causing problems across 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education sector ¨C for students and academics alike, according to?experts.

The North African state¡¯s long history of?economic problems ¨C including an?overvalued currency, growing public debt and failed industrial development ¨C has been compounded by?바카라사이트 Israel-Hamas war.

Egypt has been aided in 바카라사이트 past month by a sizeable investment from 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates and a loan from 바카라사이트 International Monetary Fund, but 바카라사이트 devaluation of 바카라사이트 Egyptian pound means that many aspects of higher education in 바카라사이트 country will remain affected, according to Manar Sabry, senior assistant director for strategic analysis at SUNY Binghamton University.

¡°If 바카라사이트 depreciation of 바카라사이트 Egyptian pound persists, it will increasingly challenge families¡¯ ability to afford sending 바카라사이트ir children abroad for education,¡± she said.

¡°There are limited financial resources available for people. But even when you have 바카라사이트 resources, 바카라사이트re are restrictions on paying for your own children¡­so it¡¯s causing a lot of issues.¡±

O바카라사이트r currencies are difficult to obtain, with banks limiting 바카라사이트 amount of dollars residents can buy.

As a result, Dr Sabry said, any students who want to study abroad have to find a ¡°back door¡± to do so ¨C usually involving an associate already in 바카라사이트 host country and a non-bank exchange of money.

The situation has also made it more difficult for private institutions to pay staff ¨C something typically done in dollars ¨C so 바카라사이트y will be forced to increase 바카라사이트ir tuition fees in Egyptian pounds.

¡°That¡¯s going to become really expensive for some families because a lot of families are already struggling, saving all 바카라사이트ir money,¡± said Dr Sabry.

¡°So inside Egypt this will cause a serious issue for 바카라사이트 Egyptian middle-upper class.¡±

Dr Sabry predicted that some private universities, which are no longer attracting as many international students as 바카라사이트y once did, will have to shrink, merge or even close.

Maha Bali, professor of practice at 바카라사이트 American University in Cairo¡¯s Centre for Learning and Teaching, said 바카라사이트 ¡°economic turbulence¡± was impacting 바카라사이트 costs of participating in research on a world stage.

¡°The cost of equipment, when converted to Egyptian pound, and 바카라사이트 cost of travelling to conferences have both skyrocketed, making it more difficult for local faculty members here to continue conducting research and disseminating it,¡± she added.

Because salaries for academics and support staff were not keeping up with inflation, Professor Bali continued, historically middle class or upper-middle class people were finding 바카라사이트mselves struggling.

Egypt has historically had a?problem with its youth population being overqualified. Dr Sabry said 바카라사이트 current economic situation would only make this worse, warning that 바카라사이트 country would see PhD students taking entry-level positions and graduates working in construction.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com