USAID Scholars Activity – FY2020 Annual Progress Report

The activity is part of USAID/Egypt's Higher Education Initiative (HEI) Project Appraisal Document (PAD) and is aligned with USAID/Egypt's strategy. The activity works in collaboration with six Egyptian public and private universities, including Zewail City of Sciences and Technology, Cairo University, Ain Shams University, Alexandria University, Mansoura University, and Assiut University. The AUC team has been working hard to achieve key milestones, including the recruitment of the majority of the USAID Scholars Activity team, the issuance of a VAT Tax Exemption Letter, and the development of a Monitoring and Evaluation (MEL) plan and progress reports. The activity's outreach and recruitment efforts resulted in receiving 4406 applications from all over Egypt, with 2201 of the applicants being eligible. The applications were screened, and 529 interviews were conducted, with 417 face-to-face interviews and 112 online interviews. Home visits were conducted for 230 candidates who successfully passed the interviewing stage. The Strategic Advisory Board was formed to set strategic placement policies and direction at partner universities for the life of the activity. The Board is chaired by AUC Counselor, the former Secretary-General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Universities, and includes the Presidents of all partner universities and the current Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Universities. The Board will convene bi-annually, and the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Strategic Advisory Board were shared and approved by USAID. During the kick-off meeting of the Strategic Advisory Board on June 10th, 2020, the members discussed adding nursing as a field of study to the majors offered by the USAID Scholars Activity. However, AUC encountered some challenges related to the process of obtaining approvals through the Cultural Affairs Committee at the Supreme Council of Universities, and the decision was made to postpone the nursing program to the next academic year 21/22. The activity's digital campaign was launched on June 12, 2020, and the announcement was shared by the Minister and Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth & Sports, National Council for Women, Marj3, AUC Alumni Facebook Page, and National Council for Women. The campaign aimed to reach a wider audience and increase awareness about the activity. The activity's MEL plan and progress reports were developed and submitted to USAID as per the due dates. The Technical Steering Committee was formed, and the partner universities sub-agreements were prepared for signature. Students' agreements were developed and ready for signature by the students and their guardians. Laptops were ordered for cohort 1 selected students since July 2020. The activity's accomplishments and challenges during the reporting period are highlighted in the report, including the successful outreach and recruitment efforts, the formation of the Strategic Advisory Board, and the challenges related to the nursing program. The report also highlights the activity's commitment to achieving its goals and supporting the students who will receive scholarships in various majors that contribute to Egypt's development.