Detailed introduction of Al-Azhar University:

Introduction and Overview

Al-Azhar University is located in Cairo, Egypt, covering an area of ​​12,000 square meters. It is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the world and the most prestigious Islamic institution in Egypt. It also oversees a national school network with about 2 million students.

History and Establishment

Founded in 970, it was named in memory of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. It officially opened in 988. The basic subjects of study are Islamic law, theology, and Arabic. In its long history, it has experienced development and changes in the Fatimid Dynasty, the Ayyubid Dynasty, the Mamluk Dynasty and other periods. In the late 19th century, Al-Azhar Elder Muhammad Abdu carried out a comprehensive reform of its ancient scholastic education system and teaching methods, making it a comprehensive Islamic university with its own independent education system. In the 1960s, it was reorganized to introduce the modern university system, opened professional courses such as medicine, engineering, science, agriculture, education, and business, and began to recruit female students.

School Strength

Faculty: It has a group of scholars and experts with profound attainments in Islamic academics, Arabic literature and other fields. They are not only experienced in teaching, but also actively participate in academic research and international exchange activities.

Academic achievements: It has achieved fruitful results in traditional disciplines such as Islamic studies, Arabic literature, and law, and has published a large number of influential academic works and research papers. Its Islamic Academic Research Center and Civilization Dialogue Center have a certain influence internationally. It regularly holds international Islamic academic conferences and exchanges and dialogues with Western religious groups.

Institutional Nature

It is a public university with a strong Islamic religious color and is an important academic center of Sunni Islam.

Educational Philosophy

Protect, study and disseminate Islamic cultural heritage and ideological propositions; disseminate the academic and ideological heritage of Arabs and Arab nations; strengthen ties with the Islamic world, cultivate talents who are proficient in Islamic academics and have modern scientific knowledge, so that students can play an important role in the inheritance of Islamic culture and the development of modern society.

Key laboratories and disciplines

Key laboratories: There is no public information on specific key laboratories, but there are special research centers and academic institutions in Islamic studies and Arabic language studies, such as the Islamic Academic Research Center and the Institute of Language and Translation.

Key subjects: Islamic Basic College's subjects such as Quran and Quranology, Hadith and Hadithology, and Theology; Islamic Law Basics, the four major Sunni schools of law and other subjects; Medical School, Business School, Engineering School, Agricultural School, etc., on the basis of their respective professional courses, also need to learn three religious courses: Quran, Hadith, and Sharia.

Department

Cairo has Islamic Basic College, Islamic Dawah College, Islamic Research and Arabic College, Law School, Business School, Agricultural School, Engineering School, Arabic College, Medical School, Dental School, Language and Translation College, Education College, Science College, Pharmaceutical College and Women's College. There are Islamic Basics, Dawah, Islamic Research, Arabic and other colleges and women's colleges in Alexandria, Sohag, Assiut, Tanta, Shaurkum and other cities.

Ranking

In the 2024 World University Rankings released by QS, Al-Azhar University ranks 1201-1400 in the world; in the 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities by Soft Science, it ranks 701-800 and 5th in Egypt.

Cost

Tuition fees for Egyptian students are relatively low, and international students vary according to their majors. Generally speaking, the tuition fees for humanities and social sciences are relatively low, about US$1,000-2,000 per year; the tuition fees for medicine, engineering and other majors are relatively high, which may be around US$2,000-3,000 per year.

Campus environment

Geographic location: Located in the Islamic old city of Cairo, the capital of Egypt, surrounded by many historic mosques, museums and cultural sites, with a strong cultural atmosphere.

Teaching facilities: It has ancient and magnificent buildings, such as the Al-Azhar Mosque, and is also equipped with modern teaching facilities, such as libraries, laboratories, multimedia classrooms, etc. Its library has a rich collection of books, many precious handwritten books, and a collection of manuscripts of up to 25,000 kinds.

Living facilities: There are various shops, restaurants and cafes around the school, providing convenient living conditions for students. In addition, the school also provides dormitories for students, which are called "Liwaq" and supervised by special teachers.

Cultural atmosphere: As a world-renowned Islamic institution, the campus is full of a strong religious and academic atmosphere. Students can learn Islamic culture and academic knowledge in depth here, and can also communicate and interact with Muslim students from all over the world.