MENA Wikipedia Education Program meeting, Abulmagd, Guirguis, Mikhail

American University of Cairo

Connected by Adel Iskandar
Interviewed on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2010

Takeaways

I don't think we'll pursue a GEP project with AUC, at least for this pilot.

Reasons

Academic systems is heavily English based
There isn't necessarily a hunger for knowledge or at least an urgency because they already have so many great resources at the university.
Magdi recommended that we look at smaller universities like Al Azhar and a couple of others
Zeinab recommended working with CASA because non-native Arabic speakers are already at a pretty high level of Arabic and they're producing papers. The challenge, however is that there is just a small handful of people enrolled in the intensive Arabic classe

Zeinab Abu Magd

Professor at AUC, teaches Middle East History, Political Science
Zeinab Abulmagd in Walid Ben Talal Bldg.
Magdi Guirguis is an independent researcher with a Ph.D. from Cairo University, and a specialist in Egyptian documentary sources from the Ottoman period. Nelly van Doorn-Harder holds the Patheja Chair in World Religions at Valparaiso University, specializing in contemporary Coptic and Islamic studies.
Connected to Zeinab through Adel Iskandar
October 26, 2011
About AUC: tends to attract the wealthiest students and the most elite students. The University also give scholarships. It's also a university for students who are Egyptian but were living in the Gulf.
Student might have weaker Arabic.
Why AUC:
Advantage of well connected (AUC University) and standardized education for students

Mona Mikhail

work with graduate students
disbelieved the power of the program
strong culture of plagiarism in the university system
she thinks that there are not enough incentives for students to contribute
She has had students who have plagirized

Magdi El Messeiah/Guirguis

Professor of Arabic Civilization. Magdi Guirguis is an independent researcher with a Ph.D. from Cairo University, and a specialist in Egyptian documentary sources from the Ottoman period. Nelly van Doorn-Harder holds the Patheja Chair in World Religions at Valparaiso University, specializing in contemporary Coptic and Islamic studies.

Interested in Coptics,
Work with Qaffr smaller school, but there are not as many computers
AUC is ok for the project, but quality is not high
work with Cairo University, Ain Shams and also Qaffr
He teaches literature and Arabic. He understands that it is fine that we don't use WP as the main source for background info
Frank: would be good to share this information before it gets lost
Frank talked about the National Democratic Party
Some students put more effort into the wikipedia article since it will be live immediately, so students put in more effort into the program
"Improvement of the Education System" - switch courses to an electronic one to encourage professors to improve the subjects
- Magdi can put us in touch with the IMprovement fo the Education System
Arabic and Civilization
Relationship between
Some assignments are in Arabic
It's difficult to read the sources in English
Cairo University can give certain assignments
Dept. of Arabic Language would be a good place to start
Khotaba: students have to learn about ideas and arrangements - they would be
- Al Azhar University

Ability of writing and accessibility to internet
How many students ahe access to university
If you don't have computers in your homes and there rare hundred sof computers
Main requirement was to establish a technology place and have at least access to money. But professors are encouraged for students to use the computer
Within three years--everything should be electronic, new books should be within three years of publications
Chair of t Abdel AL Wahad nabob (chair of national library)
Hassan Hamouda (ARabic professor) teacher of Arabic professors
Mustafa Adama (teaches in Al Fayoun University-Arabic specialists)

AI's

Connect with Magdi--ask for contacts

Interesting website to detect plagiarism: www.turnitin.com (checks if docs are plagiarized)