IMC Krems Supervisory Board Chairman Heinz Boyer travelled to Egypt at the beginning of 2020 as part of a delegation led by the President of Austria’s National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka. As a direct result of the visit, IMC Krems and October 6 University concluded two partnership agreements during a video conference on 2 November. This means that IMC Krems will offer transnational degree programmes in Africa for the first time.
Two bachelor degree programmes planned for next winter semester
“The agreements between our universities provide for two bachelor programmes: Tourism and Leisure Management, and Business Administration, which are due to start in the 2021/22 winter semester,” explained IMC Krems CEO Karl Ennsfellner.
The representatives of October 6 University, including the Chairman of its Board of Trustees and former Egyptian Education Minister Ahmed Zaki Badr, expressed their gratitude for the joint efforts. In their view, university education is a cornerstone of a successful economy – and these degree programmes would provide the basis for effective cooperation. The higher-education partnership agreed on 2 November was seen as a particularly significant development.
Signing ceremony via video link
The online event to formally establish the partnership was attended by National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka and senior representatives of October 6 University, who joined from Vienna and Cairo respectively.
“The new partnership agreements with October 6 University are the outcome of the extensive and constructive discussions we held during our visit to Cairo at the start of the year,” commented Heinz Boyer.
High-level representatives from Egypt in attendance
October 6 University, Egypt’s largest private university with more than 25,000 students, was represented by a number of distinguished figures at the virtual ceremony. They included Egypt’s former Education Minister Ahmed Zaki Badr, the university's President Prof. Gamal Samy, as well as Egypt’s former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and the university’s Consultant for International Relations, Dr. Magdy S. Rady. Austria’s Ambassador to Egypt in Cairo, His Excellency Georg Stillfried, also joined the video conference.
Transnational programmes at IMC Krems
The university currently runs nine transnational programmes with a total of over 500 students in six countries. The programmes are based on the curriculums used at IMC Krems in Austria and tailored to the partner universities’ local requirements. A combination of English as the language of instruction, international lecturers, and the opportunity to live and study in Krems provides students with the foundations for an international career. IMC Krems manages quality assurance, accreditations and the selection of teaching staff for the programmes. Lecturers from IMC Krems can also teach on the transnational degrees as part of its Flying Faculty programme. Depending on the degree programme, students earn a Bachelor of Arts in Business (BA) or Master of Arts in Business (MA) from IMC Krems.
3,200 students currently study at the university’s main location in Krems, which offers 27 bachelor and master programmes in business, digitalisation and engineering, health, and life sciences.
