July 11, 2009


Cairo, Egypt – With the attendance of Minister Moushira Khattab, Ministry of State for Family and Population, the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt, Margaret Scobey, Professor Dr. Hossam Kamel, President of Cairo University and Gary Roberts, Dean of the Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis celebrated the first graduation of 19 students of the USAID-funded Master of Laws (LL.M) program established through a partnership between Indiana University School of Law and the Faculties of Law of Cairo and Alexandria Universities. The event was held on Saturday, July 11th at the Cairo University. Among key participants were Professor Dr. Ahmed Awad Belal, Dean of the Cairo University Faculty of Law, Professor Dr. Ahmed Hendi, Dean of the Alexandria University Faculty of Law and Dr. Frank Emmert, John S. Grimes Professor of Law and Egypt Project Director.

The goal of this successful partnership between Indiana University and the Cairo and Alexandria Universities is to upgrade the skills of young lawyers and meet the market demand for lawyers with strong a commercial background. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded in June, 2007 a three-year grant to the Indiana University School of Law- Indianapolis to offer in cooperation with the Cairo and Alexandria Universities a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree, with an emphasis on commercial law. Other key elements of the program include providing training to law faculty and modernizing the libraries and the IT facilities at both universities. So far, 103 students are enrolled in the program at both Cairo and Alexandria Universities. 19 students graduated on July 11th. It is worth noting that those students are graduates of the first American Master of Laws degree fully delivered and awarded in the Middle East.

According to the testimony of students “the program opened the door for many people who would have otherwise been unable to pursue such a degree” giving them “the chance to be recognized as well educated and experienced lawyers.”