Taaleem Signs MoU with Maastricht University to Establish Academic Partnership in Badya University

By Eman Hamed 

Taaleem Management Services, Egypt’s leading pure play higher education provider, and Maastricht University, one of the top universities worldwide and the 6th among young universities in the world based on the Times Higher Education ranking, announce today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an academic partnership between Badya University, which is currently under development, and Maastricht University.  

Under the MoU, Badya University students, in all the programs, will receive a supplementary certificate from Maastricht University in addition to the degree offered by Badya University upon their graduation, as all the programs offered to them will be based on Maastricht University’s programs. The agreement also includes the possibility of implementing a student exchange program, allowing students from both universities to benefit from a multicultural educational ecosystem. 

Badya University is a top-tier university currently under development that is 60% owned by Taaleem Management Services and 40% owned by Palm Hills Developments (PHD). It is being established on an area of 167k square meters in PHD’s Badya, a full-fledged city located in the western suburbs of Cairo, and it is planned to house eight academic faculties with a total capacity of 10,710 students. Badya University’s file has been approved by the Supreme Council of Private Universities and is currently pending submission to the cabinet, after which, the company will pursue a presidential decree to begin operations.  

This partnership is subject to final definitive terms and agreements to be approved by both parties.

Dr. Rienne Letschert, President of the Executive Board of Maastricht University, commented:

“We are very excited to have signed this MoU with Taaleem over an academic partnership with Badya University, as it supports our mission to deliver international academic programs that address both European and global issues. We believe this MoU will benefit both universities, as it will allow for the exchange of research, increase cultural awareness, and provide the students in Egypt with the international knowledge needed to succeed in the global community.”

Hazem Badran, Co-CEO and Managing Director of Palm Hills Developments (PHD), commented:

 “We are pleased with Taaleem’s signing of the MoU with Maastricht University for the establishment of Badya International University as one of the top universities in Egypt. This goes in line with Palm Hills’ goal to provide top-in-class educational and higher education services for Badya’s vast community through partnerships with major educational institutions to establish Badya University, in addition to a group of national and international schools.”

Mohamed El Rashidi, Taaleem Management Services’ Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, commented: 

“When we first decided to establish Badya University, our vision was to provide the local community with premium quality higher education services and position the university at the forefront of local higher educational institutions. Today, I am very proud that we’re starting to see our vision actualize with the signing of this MoU, and we believe that our collaboration with a renowned university such as Maastricht will offer our students unmatched opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills they need to lead thriving professional careers. This MoU also marks a milestone in Taaleem’s journey, as it demonstrates our exceptional ability to reach mutually beneficial agreements with world-class players in the field. We believe this achievement fulfills both Taaleem and the Egyptian government’s vision to integrate global educational practices into the local educational system, producing a new generation of well-rounded and globally literate individuals.”