The program is managed by AMIDEAST/EGYPT in conjunction with AMIDEAST headquarters in Washington, D.C. AMIDEAST works collaboratively with Arab Academy to oversee the academic curriculum and implementation of the program. It also manages all logistical elements of the program, including the on-site orientation, student accommodations, arrangements for excursions, and the planning of special events and extra-curricular activities. Finally, AMIDEAST provides comprehensive support to both participants and administrators in the event of any problems or unusual circumstances.

Course Coordinator - Dr. Dina Shehata 

Dr. Dina Shehata is a senior researcher at al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies specializing in the study of Egyptian and Middle East politics with a special emphasis on the role of new social and youth movements in affecting change in the region. Dina holds a PhD in comparative Politics from Georgetown University, an Msc in Political Theory from the London School of Economics and a BA in Middle East Politics from the American University in Cairo. She has published a number of books and articles in Arabic and in English. Her latest publications include the Fall of the Pharaoh (Foreign Affairs, May/June 2011), Youth Movements and the 25 January Revolution (Strategic Papers, April 2011), the Return of Politics: New Protest Movements in Egypt (Al Ahram center for Political and Strategic Studies, 2010) and Islamists and Secularists in Egypt: Opposition, Conflict and Cooperation (Routledge, 2009).

Junior Instructor - Zeyad Elkelani

Originally from the coastal city of Alexandria, Zeyad Elkelani, moved to Cairo to study at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in public administration. Zeyad graduated from Cairo University in 2012 with highest honors. Zayed’s interest in intercultural dialogue first developed while he worked as a research assistant at the Future Studies Unit at Bibliotheca Alexandrina and while he attended the Arab Turkish Congress on Social Sciences in Ankara, Turkey. In addition to these experiences, as an undergraduate Zeyed spent a summer at Moscow State Institute of International Relations studying global politics and another in Berlin where he focused his research on democratic transitions after the Arab Spring. Zeyad’s interest in academics and cultural exchange help him as he works with AMIDEAST students as they develop their own understanding of Egyptian society.

Program Manager - Matthew Kuehl

Matthew Kuehl serves as the Program Manager for AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in Egypt. Born and raised in the small town of St. James, Minnesota, he received his education in Arabic Language and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Matthew has a M.A. in International Human Rights Law from the American University in Cairo and has done extensive research on human rights conceptions in Yemeni tribal law. He has worked in professional and educational exchange programs for nearly 5 years, including developing a study abroad college in Sana’a, Yemen. Matthew joined AMIDEAST/Egypt in 2008, working first as the Program Officer for the USAID-sponsored Tatweer program, assisting Iraqi scholarship recipients with studying abroad in Cairo. In his current position as Program Manager, Matthew coordinates all aspects of the program, including orientation, housing, excursions, scheduling, student activities and much more. His experiences living, working, and traveling throughout the Middle East, including studying abroad in Cairo as an undergraduate, makes him a strong resource for students. He further developed skills in intercultural learning in 2009 when he attended the Summer Institute in Intercultural Communication in Portland, Oregon.

Program Specialist - Noha Faltas

Noha Faltas earned her bachelor of arts degree in political science from the American University in Cairo (AUC) in 2012 with a double major in international law and international relations. Noha was born and raised in Cairo, and had the opportunity to study abroad as an undergraduate student, spending a semester at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., in 2011. There she experienced the many benefits of travelling, studying, and living in a different culture. For the past five years, Noha has volunteered at Life Vision, a small Cairo-based non-governmental organization. There Noha has organized summer camps for impoverished children from Upper Egypt so that they have an opportunity to experience life outside their villages. Noha coordinates all aspects of the camp including program, logistics, fundraising, and recruitment of volunteers. As someone who has worked with young people and studied abroad herself, Noha is a valuable resource to incoming AMIDEAST Education Abroad students in Cairo.

What is AMIDEAST?

America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) was founded in 1951. It has field offices in 23 cities in 12 countries in the region, giving it a well-developed infrastructure, capacity, and institutional record of successful exchange programs rooted in more than five decades of in-region experience administering scholarships and exchanges on behalf of U.S. and Arab governments, private companies, and individuals.

AMIDEAST in Egypt beyond Education Abroad

Since 1957, AMIDEAST has been providing quality educational services in Egypt. With offices in Cairo and Alexandria, AMIDEAST reaches thousands of students and professionals annually through English and Arabic language courses, academic advising, standardized testing, and cultural exchange programs. AMIDEAST/Egypt has designed and administered numerous programs for youth, undergraduates, and educators, and has arranged accommodation, transportation, excursions, community service, language training, professional meetings, and lectures for groups of American students.