AUC Inaugurates its 13th President, Ahmed Dallal

By: Malak Kamel
@MK__Malak

AUC welcomed its 13th president, Ahmad Dallal, in an inauguration ceremony hosting government ministers, ambassadors, senior faculty and alumni at Bassily Auditorium on October 25.

“Inaugurating a president is an opportunity to reaffirm our core values and renew our commitment to AUC’s fundamental mission of service to Egypt and education and re- search at the highest caliber,” Mark Turnage, Chairman of AUC’s Board of Trustees, said in his opening remarks.

Turnage highlighted the AUC legacy of which Dallal is now a vital member, leading this institution and building on the accomplishments of prior presidents.

That legacy is a rich one founded on many firsts in the region and around the world. In 1928, AUC welcomed its first female students preceding Yale and other reputable universities. In 2020, it became the first university in Egypt to launch mandatory anti-harassment training.

“For this moment I can think of no better individual to lead AUC into its second century than President Ahmad Dallal,” Turnage said.

He emphasized that Dallal’s leadership style as well as his academic credentials and achievements are sure to advance the university and its goals in the higher education environment.

Before coming to AUC, Dallal served as provost at the American University of Beirut (AUB), as well as the dean of Georgetown University in Qatar. A renowned scholar of Islamic studies, he has also taught at Yale, Stanford, and many others.

“Anyone who has had a chance to see [Dallal] in action would have seen firsthand his deep commitment to principles and values, his ability to find common ground, and above all his passion for students and the role that university’s play as engines of advancement in society,” Turnage said, concluding his inaugural speech.

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar welcomed Dallal to Egypt and expressed his optimism for upcoming future collaborations with AUC.

“With this new leadership we believe that the upcoming period is full of promises and we’re all eager to see it succeed, expand, and endure,” Abdel Ghaffar said.

Previous collaborations include the recent agreement in 2020, of allocating 30 full tuition scholarships to the students of public schools in Egypt, as mentioned by Abdel Ghaffar.

Dallal was then officially declared president and given a gold medallion representing the university seal before laying out his vision for the years to come.

“As we collectively hone our vision for the future we will need to redefine what the liberal arts education means for the 21st century,” Dallal said.

He emphasized the importance of reinventing against the backdrop of challenges, and constant changes that occur in such a fast-paced world.

“We will need to rethink our priorities in research as we embark on our second century of education and service,” he added.

Dallal emphasized that AUC will continue to provide relevant knowledge to assist future generations in adapting to a world that is constantly changing, but one thing that will not change is the AUC’s founding legacy to transformative education in Egypt and the region.

“Egypt’s contribution to human civilization is unparalleled. This American University in Cairo has derived its strength from the endless richness of its culture. So in the age-old tradition of this nation of civilization, let us continue to do our part, ” Dallal said.

Following the ceremony and the inaugural speeches, the flags of all the countries rep- resenting the global community that is AUC were raised in a parade celebrating the rich diversity that AUC has come to encompass over the decades. Student volunteers distributed treats and snacks with others standing at booths of AUC paraphernalia.

“The event was pretty good, I met a lot of people from different nationalities, and I was holding my Tunisian flag,” Eya Gammoudi, an undeclared freshman said.

Spirits were high, which some said was quite motivating given the challenges of the pandemic the community had to overcome in the past 18 months.

“There is a buzz and good spirit as we’ve seen people we haven’t seen for a very long time,” Sherif Kamel, Dean of the School of Business, said.

“I look forward to all of us working together to have AUC always as one of the top institutions, not only in Egypt, but in the entire region,” Kamel added.

The AUC president will likely have a full roster of challenges to deal with as AUC completes its first full semester back since fall 2019.

Some who came to watch the parade voiced hopes of better food services, bridging gaps between students and faculty, staying on campus at a time where situations seem uncertain, and adjusting the COVID-19 protocols.

Political Science junior Aly Ragy said that he expects the president “to be more involved in student life compared to previous years.”

Ola Morsy, chief clinical officer and adjunct AUC faculty, hopes the president will be more involved in student well-being.

“I’m expecting a new era and enhancement of the AUC academic status and I wish that the president would look more into student life and well-being, and make it a part of the holistic experience of a student studying at AUC,” she said.

However, the hope is not only to improve student life, but also foster meaningful relationships with faculty.

“My expectation for the new AUC president is that he will be equally interactive with AUC faculty as previous presidents have been,” Doris Jones, senior instructor in the department of Rhetoric and Composition, said.