The American University in Cairo was founded in 1919 by a group of Americans committed to education and community service in the Middle East. Today, AUC is the region's premier English-language university, providing an American-style liberal arts education, rooted in the Arab world. A vital bridge between the cultures of East and West, it links Egypt and the region to the world through scholarly research, study-abroad programs and partnerships with academic and research institutions.

AUC serves as a cultural and intellectual center in Cairo, hosting prominent speakers and intellectuals; and is a top destination for the study of Arabic and the Middle East, with all of its degrees fully accredited in the Middle East and the United States. Its alumni, leaders in the region and around the world, include Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, Queen Rania of Jordan, Thomas Friedman, Suzanne Malveaux, Lawrence Wright and Nicholas Kristoff.