Rowan University has signed a memorandum of understanding with the School of Medicine at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport at El Alamein in Egypt — an agreement that will potentially expand Rowan’s global footprint and attract more international students. The MOU builds on two similar agreements Rowan signed in 2025 with institutions in Egypt and Turkey.

One of Egypt’s largest private universities, the Arab Academy enrolls about 30,000 students from more than 20 countries, making it a major hub for international education.

The agreement was brokered by Morris Kalliny, Rowan’s vice president for global affairs and dean of the School of Professional Studies, who has played a key role in building the university’s international partnerships.

“The current MOU is specifically for the medical school,” Kalliny said. “It lays the groundwork for collaboration in medical education and student exchange.”

Kalliny was joined in Egypt by Dr. Richard Jermyn, dean of Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, for the ceremonial signing at AASTMT’s El-Alamein campus.

“Dr. Jermyn has a global mindset for medical education,” Kalliny said. “His dream is to bring Egyptian students to Rowan for summer shadowing experiences and, eventually, send our medical students to Egypt for similar exchanges.”

Medical education in Egypt differs significantly from in the U.S. model, largely due to limited access to advanced technology and equipment, Kalliny said. To bridge this gap, Rowan and the Arab Academy plan to launch short-term training programs in New Jersey, giving Egyptian students firsthand exposure to Rowan’s medical education environment.

This agreement follows two other memorandums of understanding Rowan signed this year:

• In July, the University established a broad collaboration framework with AASTMT, opening doors for academic partnerships across multiple disciplines.
• In October, it signed an MOU with a Turkish university to advance global health sciences initiatives, further strengthening Rowan’s international presence.

“We want our students to be global citizens,” Kalliny said. “Exposure to different cultures and ways of thinking helps students navigate cultural differences and broadens their perspectives.”

Looking ahead, Rowan expects visits from AASTMT’s president and senior administrators, and discussions are underway with Rowan’s Rohrer College of Business for potential MBA and supply chain program collaborations.