Launched in 2014, the USAID-funded Scholarships and Training for Egyptian Professionals (STEP) was one of the five scholarship components of the U.S-Egypt Higher Education Initiative designed to support Egypt’s economic and social development. The U.S.-Egypt Higher Education Initiative (HEI) was an investment in Egypt’s future that provides educational opportunities for high-achieving Egyptians – especially underprivileged women and female students – to help them gain the foundational education and technical skills necessary to enter the Egyptian workforce and to support Egypt’s economic and social development.

STEP’s first component was the scholarship program that addressed the underrepresentation of women in management and leadership positions. Through this program, Egyptian women moved to American university campuses where they built skills
and perspectives to henceforth play key roles in Egypt’s economic and social progression. Two-year scholarships enabled women to earn Master of Business Administration degrees, while four-year scholarships supported younger women in their pursuit of
Bachelor’s degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Concurrently, through a second component of STEP, thousands of Egyptian professionals, female and male, received short-term training in fields linked to the USAID Mission’s technical sectors of Education and Training, Health, Economic Growth, and Democracy and Governance. This local training brought long-term improvements to communities throughout the country.

This program was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with the support of the American people. The Institute of International Education managed the program through its MENA Region Office based in Cairo, Egypt, in coordination with IIE/Washington, DC, and in partnership with a consortium of Egyptian and U.S. organizations.

Contact us to learn more about IIE’s experience implementing USAID STEP and other USAID-funded programs.

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Partners & Sponsor

The U.S.-Egypt Higher Education Initiative (HEI) was administered by IIE on behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It was made possible with the support from the American people and by USAID. It was conducted in partnership with AFS Egypt, the American University in Cairo, EFE Egypt, Nahdet El Mahrousa, and INJAZ Egypt.