More AUCians Seek Cultural, Scholastic Exchange Abroad

AUC study abroad and transfer student rates are increasing for the second consecutive semester as more AUCians seek to expand their cultural and scholastic experiences.

“Regarding the transfer students, we don’t have a specific number as this is an individual process that is done by students, however, those who ask on daily basis about the transfer procedures are definitely increasing than last year and the year before,” said Dina Abul Magd, program associate of exchange and study abroad programs at the International Programs Office (IPO).

Abul Magd added that with the decrease of international exchange students on campus this semester, AUC “lost its balance of transfers” with a few universities abroad.

This ended up weakening the functionality of the student exchange program.

She said that the IPO balanced the discrepancies by increasing the number of study abroad students from AUC.

“Those [AUCians] who attended fall 2013 and spring 2014 abroad are around 80 exchanges and 45 study abroad students,” she said.

She added that after placing students in overseas universities during the winter break for the next academic year, the university has around 30 exchanges and around 70 study abroad students.

The reasons that encourage students to transfer or study abroad vary greatly from case to case.

According to Abul Magd, a few students want to explore different cultures, while others travel because of their parents’ encouragement.

She added that political reasons and Egypt’s current instability could be crucial factors as well.

“Most people prefer to go to the US more than Europe and Asia,” said Abul Magd.

“The University of California is definitely one of those universities that everyone wishes for, as well as the University of Colorado, the American University in Washington D.C., the University of George Washington in D.C. and the State University of New York at New Paltz, largely because they are quite affordable,” she added.

Aly Mansour, a former AUC student who transferred recently to the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, said that the affordable lifestyle and the reputation of his new university are two of the major factors that encouraged him to transfer from AUC.

Menna El Ashmawi, a Petroleum Engineering senior, said: “I am considering transferring from AUC to the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

She added that she is seeking better academic standards, job opportunities and value for money.

Other students like Farah Sami travel for non-academic reasons.

“My dad has always wanted me to explore and live in different places. He always believed that it’s the best thing to develop one’s personality and increase his independence,” she said.

Sami, who currently studies Actuarial Science at AUC, spent a year as an exchange student at the University of California, Berkeley.

Abul Magd believes AUC would gain much insight if it conducted surveys which examined why students are transferring or choosing to complete their bachelor degrees abroad.

She pointed out that a number of students had applied to transfer to universities which do not have a current exchange or transfer abroad agreement with AUC. Such cases have not been added to current university statistics and figures.

Students who return to Egypt after spending some time abroad have encouraged their peers to follow suit.

“I had to travel to complete my [Middle East Partnership Initiative] MEPI scholarship requirements,” said Nouran Ghannam, an Honors Political Science senior who attended Wellesley College for a semester.

“Spending a semester abroad should be a requirement for all students,” Ghannam added.

The student transfer program, the study abroad program and the student exchange program each serve different purposes.

The student transfer program serves students who want to transfer to another university permanently while the study abroad program serves students who wish to study in another university for a semester or two while still receiving their degree from AUC.

The student exchange program allows students from AUC and universities abroad to switch places for a semester or a year.

The IPO does, however, organize focus groups with returning students to collect their feedback and experience.

A few students said that the academic standards they received abroad were much stronger and more organized in comparison with AUC.

Other students said that the variety of extracurricular activities at AUC is more diverse than those found abroad.