Egyptian universities are witnessing a decline in the number of students pursuing postgraduate studies for master’s and doctoral degrees. This decline raises pressing questions about its causes and future implications for human development and the labor market in Egypt.
Abdel Moneim Emam, Secretary of the Planning and Budget Committee in the House of Representatives, issued a warning about the deteriorating state of higher education in Egypt, suggesting that the failure of Egyptian universities to meet modern needs may be a primary reason for this decline.
Emam cited data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) last year, showing a sharp 93% decrease in the number of master’s and doctoral degree holders since 2016. He attributed this decline to outdated curricula still teaching material from 1965, despite the world’s ongoing technological revolution.
According to CAPMAS, the total number of doctoral degree holders decreased by 73% in 2021 compared to 2009, which recorded 33.8 thousand graduates.
Emam pointed to an oversupply of graduates in certain fields, such as commerce and law, creating a gap between their skills and labor market needs. He called for a comprehensive reassessment of the higher education system, focusing on keeping up with global developments and directing investments towards supporting scientists and research. He warned of the risks of continuing the current situation and demanded radical reforms to ensure a promising future for the higher education sector in Egypt.
A graduate from the Faculty of Arts, Department of Media, Journalism Division at Helwan University, stated that when he applied for the master’s program in 2012, he was torn between continuing his studies and finding a job to support himself and his studies. After a few days, he managed to find a job and tried to balance work and study. According to the student, the strict work hours and the insistence of supervisors and professors on attending all lectures without exception forced him to choose between completing his postgraduate studies or continuing to work. He chose work due to his financial needs. He mentioned that dozens of his colleagues faced the same problem at Helwan University, Cairo University, and other universities. The increasing annual tuition fees and the difficult choice between work and continuing studies are major reasons for the noticeable decline in the number of applicants for postgraduate studies.
Between Hope and Challenges
Salma Sobhy Gad, who ranked second in the Public Relations and Advertising Department at the Faculty of Arts, Menoufia University, class of 2013, shared her experience with document manipulation that prevented her from being appointed as an assistant lecturer in favor of the dean’s daughter. Despite this, Salma continued her path to success and applied for a master’s preparatory program at the Faculty of Media, Cairo University.
Salma obtained her master’s degree while working at the university’s Quality Assurance Center and was appointed among the top graduates in the last batch appointed by the government. She is currently pursuing her doctoral studies but notes the declining number of researchers at this stage in Egypt. She attributes this to several reasons, including the lack of real jobs for researchers after obtaining their master’s or doctoral degrees, the exorbitant tuition fees, and the trend for most postgraduate students to enter the teaching profession.
Atef Youssef, a digital media instructor at the Faculty of Media, Menoufia University, attributes the decline in postgraduate students to the high costs and tuition fees, in addition to the increased burdens on researchers due to the country’s economic fluctuations.
He also sees a sense of frustration among students and researchers due to the perceived futility of obtaining advanced degrees, given the government’s neglect of master’s and doctoral holders and their non-appointment in universities or government agencies, despite the law granting them this right.
Youssef advises postgraduate students nationwide to continue their studies. Those who can afford the cost of a master’s or doctorate should pursue it and look for job opportunities abroad or in private universities.
Civil Service Law
Eight years ago, the Egyptian legislator issued Civil Service Law No. 81 of 2016, aiming to encourage employees to develop scientifically and improve their performance. Article 39 of the law stipulated a financial incentive known as the “scientific excellence incentive” and a bonus.
However, the specified amounts for these incentives are minimal and do not reach the required motivational level, distributed as follows: 25 EGP ($0.52) per month for those with an intermediate or above intermediate qualification, 50 EGP ($1.04) per month for those with a higher qualification, 75 EGP ($1.56) per month for those with a two-year diploma, 100 EGP ($2.07) per month for those with a master’s degree or equivalent, or two one-year postgraduate diplomas, and 200 EGP ($4.15) per month for those with a doctorate or equivalent.
The amounts specified by the law are very weak and not motivating, according to those we spoke to. Nonetheless, there are conditions for obtaining the bonus, including that the employee’s efficiency must have been rated “efficient” for the past two years, they must not have received this bonus in the last three years, and the number of employees receiving the bonus in the same year must not exceed 10% of the total number of employees at the same level and job. If the number of employees at the same level and job is less than 10, the bonus is granted to one of the deserving employees.
The conditions specified by the law for obtaining the scientific excellence incentive include obtaining a higher qualification during the service period, which includes obtaining a two-year diploma, a master’s degree or equivalent, two one-year postgraduate diplomas, or a doctorate or equivalent.
Obstacles
A postgraduate student, who wished to remain anonymous, highlighted other issues beyond the high tuition fees. She suffered from her supervisor’s crisis, who delayed her master’s thesis for a full year. Besides this, Her circumstances were complicated by her inability to pay the 1,200 EGP ($24.89) tuition fee for the 2014 academic year.
The student said that when she enrolled in 2014, she was trying to find jobs to support her studies and provide for her needs. The high tuition fees and the supervisor’s absence for a full year prolonged the time it took her to earn her first advanced degree. The co-supervisor did not fulfill his role, although he could have replaced the main supervisor and refused the student’s request to complete the thesis with him.
The student sought help from other university departments to avoid losing more time and eventually found other professors to assist her with her thesis. She advises new students, saying, “If you want to start postgraduate studies, you should first establish yourself in the profession you want to continue your studies in, then start studying to feel its benefits and pleasures and how it positively impacts your field of work.”
The student recounted her struggle with choosing her thesis topic and trying to find supervisors to accompany her on the long journey, sometimes due to her inability to pay the fees and other times having to leave work. She started over with the thesis, printed a copy, and gave it to the supervisor. When she asked for it back to continue working on it, he surprised her by saying he lost it. When she requested a replacement copy, he asked, “Are you poor? You need to print a new copy.”
After five years, the student managed to complete her studies and obtain her master’s degree, although she felt she lost her passion for her studies due to the complexities she faced.
Yasmin Adel, a student, said that appointments in universities are currently limited to top graduates. She graduated in 2011, obtained two diplomas in 2012 and 2013, then a master’s degree in the Department of Educational Foundations with an excellent grade in 2019, and registered for her doctoral thesis in 2020. She obtained her doctoral preparatory degree with an excellent grade. Yasmin expressed her frustration, saying, “Although I consider myself a diligent student, not being appointed or employed as a researcher in the university or any government entity is extremely unfair.”
Yasmin expressed her deep frustration due to the high costs of postgraduate studies and having to work alongside studying. In the end, she works in a field not closely related to her studies.
Yasmin said she pays 5,000 EGP ($103.68) annually to continue her studies at the Faculty of Education, Cairo University, in addition to the costs of formatting, printing, coordination, and courses, stating that the total cost of her master’s degree reached 40,000 EGP ($828.29). She criticized the government’s neglect of this category, emphasizing that the country’s strength lies in its number of researchers and supporting them both morally and financially to fund their studies. She added that most students now continue their studies out of love for education and research.
Decline
Educational expert Kamal Moghith discussed several factors behind the decline in the number of postgraduate students in Egypt. Some are related to economic and social conditions, while others are connected to the educational system and available job opportunities.
These factors include the high costs of postgraduate studies, especially in private universities, which have significantly increased in recent years, placing a heavy financial burden on students and their families. Postgraduate graduates face increasing difficulties in finding suitable jobs in the labor market, particularly amid rising youth unemployment rates.
Students find that many academic specializations in Egypt do not offer real opportunities for fruitful scientific research, reducing their motivation to pursue postgraduate studies. Some talented students prefer to continue their studies abroad, seeking better scientific and research opportunities and broader career prospects.
“I forced myself to work in multiple places to cover the costs of postgraduate studies. My goal was much higher than just saving my efforts and money earned from working in three different places. My ultimate goal was to leave behind knowledge that benefits others,” said Amira El-Shazly, a graduate of the Faculty of Arts, Department of Media, 2016, who joined the master’s preparatory program at Mansoura University in 2019 and obtained her degree in 2022.
Amira faced a harsher reality after overcoming the master’s hurdles—finding a job that matched her degree. She encountered the
need for “connections” to secure a suitable job, which made her consider continuing her academic journey. However, she has not made a final decision due to the high costs she considers too expensive.
Mohamed Omar El-Hanch, a graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University in 2013, started his master’s journey immediately after graduation. However, due to work commitments and lack of time, he defended his thesis in 2021. He said, “I preferred to continue my academic studies to improve my chances of promotion at work and to get an opportunity to teach at the university. But my ultimate dream, which I have had for years, is to travel to one of the Gulf countries to get a substantial financial reward that matches my academic journey. There are some obstacles that postgraduate students face, such as work hours and the pressure from conflicting work and study schedules, which leads some to discontinue their studies, in addition to the high costs of education.”
According to El-Hanch, he spent 1,200 EGP ($24.89) on his master’s degree in 2013. Currently, his preparatory doctorate costs about 10,000 EGP ($207.40), plus the compulsory digital transformation course, which costs 1,000 EGP ($20.74), another scientific writing course for 1,000 EGP ($20.74), and tests that cost about 2,200 EGP ($45.63).
El-Hanch and his friends suffer from the obstinacy of supervisors, and their number has decreased due to low salaries in public universities, leading many to seek better opportunities abroad. He believes that the government should not be required to appoint master’s and doctoral holders because their employment in government positions would restrict them, while they can leverage these degrees for career advancement in the private sector.
Differing Perspectives
Amal Khattab, a professor of media at the Faculty of Arts, Benha University, offers a different viewpoint. She asserts that the number of local students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs at Egyptian universities is steadily increasing despite the financial challenges they face.
Khattab points out that the number of Egyptian students enrolling in postgraduate programs is continuously rising, refuting claims of a decline. She attributes this rise to several factors, mainly the students’ realization of the importance of keeping up with rapid developments in various fields, driving them to join postgraduate programs to gain new skills and experiences that enhance their professional capabilities.
She emphasizes that the labor market offers better opportunities for postgraduate degree holders, encouraging more students to enroll in these programs. Khattab notes that Egyptian universities now offer a wide range of postgraduate programs in various disciplines, meeting the diverse needs of students. Additionally, private universities have played a significant role in expanding postgraduate enrollment opportunities, leading to an overall increase in student numbers.
Despite the growing student numbers, Khattab acknowledges that financial challenges remain a significant obstacle for some students wishing to continue their postgraduate studies. The high tuition fees in both public and private universities place a financial burden on some students, especially given the overall increase in living costs. Moreover, study costs are not limited to tuition fees but also include research expenses, translation services, and access to paid databases, further straining students financially.
She continues by noting that the depreciation of the Egyptian pound against foreign currencies increases the costs of research and imported study materials, adding another layer of financial strain on students. These financial challenges can affect the continuity of some students in postgraduate programs, leading to postponements until they can secure the necessary funds, while others might withdraw from the programs entirely due to financial constraints.
Khattab proposes several solutions to alleviate the financial challenges facing postgraduate students, including providing more scholarships for outstanding students from low-income backgrounds and offering installment plans for postgraduate tuition fees in all universities. She also calls on scientific institutions in Egypt to uphold the principle of lifelong learning, a principle that private educational institutions strive to promote within Egyptian society, benefiting everyone.
