AUC STRATEGIC THEMES & GOALS
LONG RANGE PLAN 2007-2012
THEMES
Strategic Theme 1:
Academic excellence
GOALS
A- Attract and reward outstanding faculty; support high quality teaching and
research
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Encourage faculty to apply for research grants
Expand the pool of faculty specializations and diversified areas of
interest in line with the University’s comparative advantage.
Encourage faculty to develop pedagogical tools in teaching through
collaboration with CLT, the use of smart classrooms, faculty teaching
workshops, etc.
Encourage faculty research seminars
Adopt a more transparent hiring and evaluation procedure (faculty
retention; bylaw for two year review approved by the department)
Work towards credit hour compensation for thesis supervision (motion
for faculty compensation for thesis supervision, approved by the
department)
Improve technical support for faculty, particularly with respect to IT.
Emphasize critical thinking within course content and teaching
approach, e.g. through close collaboration with CLT, faculty seminars
on success stories in teaching, teaching seminars involving students,
etc.
Encourage, acknowledge and reward creativity in teaching (field trips,
simulation, etc.)
B- Strengthen quality of current programs, create new regionally competitive
programs, and enhance enrollments
Undergraduate Program
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Systematic review of current courses and development of new ones in
light of global issues and job market requirements
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Develop new degree in business economics.
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Development of undergraduate specializations
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Creation of new courses (The following new courses have been
recently created: Econ. 299 (core), Econ. 318, Econ. 320)
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Core course coordination: already being done for different sections of
introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics (Econ. 201 and
202). Plan to work on vertical coordination of core streams (already
done for statistics/ econometrics (218,318,418,518); to be done for
macroeconomics 201,301,501; microeconomics: 202, 302,502; and
mathematical economics 216, 316, 425, 515)
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Continue to work closely with the University Core Curriculum Office
MA, Economics
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Restructure Program in light of current proposal under review.
Review of current courses and creation of courses in areas relevant
to timely world issues and/or AUC’s comparative advantage (e.g.
Middle East Economics, Oil Economics, Financial econometrics, other
topical courses)
Review and restructure current thesis supervision procedure; Seek
formal approval and implementation of motion re thesis supervision.
Encourage involvement of graduate students in faculty research and
university research activities.
MA (ECID)
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Review and update program curriculum in line with global and
regional developments
Review and fine tune practicum
Creation of new courses if need be (New courses we currently
have: Econ. 500, Econ. 526 and new version of Econ. 513)
Work on joint teaching with SRC faculty, and possibly faculty
from other departments
With respect to Students
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Continuing to recruit and retain high caliber students, possibly through
creation of honors courses
Expand work study program as has proven highly useful for
undergrads
Seek financial support for graduate students to ensure their presence
on campus
Establish a data base of alumni to keep contact with our graduates
Make use of email lists to communicate with graduate and
undergraduate students
Strategic Theme 2:
International Education
GOALS
A. Increase the visibility and expand the international reach of AUC’s research
and publishing programs
B. Expand the number of international students in undergraduate and graduate
degree programs
C. Increase the international exposure and study abroad options for Egyptian
students
D. Internationalize the undergraduate curriculum
E. Strengthen research activities and expand AUC’s intellectual contributions,
particularly through interdisciplinary centers of excellence
The department plans to continue and expand its current international outreach
programs:
1. ECID international presence
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Widen the scope of its international exchange network.
Expand student base to include international students; (attract more
students from overseas and from the region)
Expand links to other institutions and universities in the region and abroad
Establish an exchange program for students and faculty
Consider joint efforts (teaching/research) with selected universities
interested in an interdisciplinary approach to development.
Implement agreement with University of Rome Tor Vergata: (student
and faculty exchange, international summer school initiative.
2. AUC/UCLA Collaboration in the area of Environmental Economics;
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Establish an Environmental Economics Unit (EEU) at AUC
Prepare proposals for external funding
Organize conferences
Prepare publications (currently work in progress for a joint book
publication on “Egypt and the Environment” by AUC and UCLA faculty;
final book volume will be ready for publication March 2007)
3. FEMISE Network1: As a member of the FEMISE network, the department plans
to:
 Encourage socio-economic research relevant to the Euro-Mediterranean
region,
 Encourage the submission of research proposals for grants through the
network.
4. Promote Collaboration with Universities abroad
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Hold information sessions for graduate students – done for Harvard in Spring
2005,
Encourage graduate student exchange
Encourage interaction with other universities through technology, e.g. web
discussion, video conferences, etc.
Encourage international field trips (possibly through the winter session)
5. Continue inviting exceptional DVPs to the department. (More resources for this
particular item would be very well utilized for the Economics department)
FEMISE stands for “Forum Euro-Méditerranéen des Instituts Economiques, or the Euro-Mediterranean
Forum of Economic Institutes”. It is a network gathering more than 50 national institutes, research centers
and similar non-profit organizations specialized in studying economic issues and representing the 37
countries of the Euro-Med Region. Supported by the European Commission since 1997, the FEMISE is comanaged by the Institut de la Méditerranée (France) and the Economic Research Forum (Egypt).
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Strategic Theme 3:
Service
GOALS
A. Link research and training to community needs and national development
priorities
B. Enhance AUC’s role as a leading intellectual and cultural resource center
for Egypt and the region
Outreach within the Community
The department’s visibility in the community is enhanced through individual efforts of
faculty. Beyond that, there is a need for stronger presence for the department in the local
and regional community. Specifically, there is a need to:
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Keep abreast with Egypt’s economic developments, possibly through
the establishment of an economic policy institute (would provide a
boost to graduate students’ research)
Develop and improve the department’s website
Continue to invite DVPs of the same caliber as in the previous years,
possibly also from the region
Expand current research networks, e.g. FEMISE, and create new ones
Extend collaboration to local, regional and international organizations
and NGOs in Egypt (e.g. Economic Research Forum, Research
Centers at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science in Cairo
University, the Industrial Modernization Center of the Ministry of
Industry and Foreign Trade, the Information Decision Support Center
of the Cabinet, etc.)
Strategic Theme 4:
Operational Excellence
GOALS
A. Use the Center for Learning and Teaching to promote the use of technology in
the classroom.
B. Provide greater integration of academic and administrative ICT systems and
capabilities
C. Review and restructure educational and support operations to enhance
operational efficiency in the new campus facilities
Outreach Within AUC:
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Continue to work closely with the University Center for Learning and
Teaching.
Continue to coordinate with the University Working Group on
Development Studies
Continue to work closely with the University Core Curriculum Program.
A new course (Econ. 299: Economics for Everyone) has been created and
will begin in Fall 2006
Collaborate with other departments. (The department has been discussing
a new undergraduate degree in Business Economics in collaboration with
the Management Department)
Coordinate with Social Research Center for joint teaching of Econ. 526
(Development Research Workshop), and possibly other courses.
Continue to be represented on the University Committee for Learning
Spaces for the New Campus.