• Three Egyptian winners awarded for distinguished career achievements and entrepreneurship.
• 1,400 Applications were received from alumni from more than 120 UK universities in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Cairo, 27 February 2019, the British Council announced three Egyptian winners of the Study UK Alumni Awards 2018-19 at an awarding ceremony in the British Embassy in Cairo. In total, nine UK alumni in Egypt were shortlisted and recognised for their outstanding achievements as business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders, and for their important contribution to strengthening collaborative ties between the UK and Egypt.

The prestigious international award celebrates UK higher education and the achievements of UK alumni all over the world. Now in its fifth year, the award received more than 1400 applications from international UK alumni in more than 100 countries, representing more than 120 UK higher education institutions across the UK. Following in-depth interviews with a judging panel, recipients were selected for the three award categories: Professional Achievement, Entrepreneurial, and Social Impact.

The Professional Achievement Award, which recognises alumni who have distinguished themselves through exemplary leadership in their professional field, was presented by the adventurer and entrepreneur, Omar Samra to the winner Samir Omara, graduate of University of Exeter. Samir is the Head of Professional Development for Teachers First Professional Development Program run by the Egyptian Ministry of Education.

The Social Impact Award, which acknowledges alumni who have made an exceptional contribution to creating positive social change, was presented by Khaled Habib, Radio Presenter and CEO fit-for-life, to the winner Maha Helali, a graduate of University College London. Maha is now the Vice-Head of a new Committee for Women with Disabilities (WwD) within the National Council for Women (NCW), and in 2017 was named as one of the top 50 Most Influential Women by Amwal Al Ghad magazine in its Outstanding Women Initiative to empower women.

The Entrepreneurial Award, which highlights alumni who have played a leading role in innovation or creative solutions, was presented by the founder of “Azza Fahmy Jewelery”, Azza Fahmy to the winner Omnia Fathy El Rashidy, a graduate of the Sheffield Hallam University. Omnia’s community-based medical programme enhances the quality of life for families with disabled children. She worked as a Medical Consultant for the National Council of Disabilities and Function in Egypt and currently, takes her expertise to hospitals, teaching those professionals her newly-adopted treatment approach.

This year’s winners were chosen by an esteemed panel of juries that included Elizabeth White, British Council Egypt Director, Sahar Khamis, Head of Education, British Council Egypt, Shadia Fahim, Dean Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the British University in Egypt, Nevine Sharaf, Chevening Programme Manager at the British Embassy, Khaled Habib, Radio Presenter and CEO fit-for-life, Mohamed Salaheen, General Secretary at the National Engineering Committee, Supreme Council of Universities and Heba Kholief, Winner of Social Impact Award in the 2017 UK Alumni Awards.

British Ambassador to Egypt, Sir Geoffrey Adams said: “Bringing together Egyptian talent and British education is a recipe for success. The winners of the awards today show just how true this is.  We’re working to give more Egyptians the opportunity to benefit from the UK’s world-leading education system, not just in the UK but here in Egypt too, including through a growing number of partnerships between British and Egyptian institutions”

Elizabeth White, Director British Council in Egypt, said: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate the achievements a number of outstanding Egyptian alumni of UK universities, in this year’s Study UK Alumni awards. Every one of the finalists has used their experience of UK study, and all their own abilities, skills and initiatives, to make a career in which they have made a significant difference. Each and every one has a very compelling story to tell.  The British Council is proud to present this year’s awards for the third year in Egypt, and we know that everyone will be impressed by the inspiration and the positive impact the winning alumni have brought to the world we live in.”

Egypt is the first country to host the awards this year and will be followed by awarding ceremonies in a further twelve countries, including Ghana, Pakistan, and the USA.