CAIRO, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Egypt and South Sudan signed a deal on Monday to build branches of Egypt's Alexandria University in the South Sudanese capital Juba and the town of Tonj.
The MoU was signed by Alexandria University President Abdelaziz Konsowa and South Sudanese Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Gabriel Changson Chang in Cairo, said Egypt's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in a statement.
The planned university branches will offer programs in the fields of agriculture, veterinary medicine, education, nursing, engineering, business, biotechnology, and others, said the statement.
Under the agreement, students will be admitted based on the admission standards decided by Alexandria University, and if funding is available, outstanding students can be allowed to spend an academic year at the campus in Egypt.
During the signing ceremony in Cairo, Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ayman Ashour said setting up branches of the university will open new horizons for cooperation between the two countries in higher education.
He said the Egyptian ministry is willing to provide all necessary facilitations to South Sudanese students studying in Egypt and strengthen cooperation between the universities of the two countries.
For his part, Gabriel Changson Chang said the agreement marks an important step for South Sudan to develop higher education while extending thanks to Egypt for its continued support for his country in various fields. ■