Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor to receive honorary doctorate from the American University in Cairo (AUC)

Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Chairman of Al Habtoor Group met with Lisa Anderson, President of the American University in Cairo (AUC) on Tuesday, 21st January 2014 at his office on Al Wasl Road. Ms Anderson came to personally inform Mr. Al Habtoor that he will receive an Honorary Doctorate from the respected American university. She was accompanied by Moataz Al-Alfi, Chairman, Americana – who is also Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at AUC and Mary Iskander, Senior Advisor to the President, AUC. Present from the Al Habtoor Group were Mohammed Al Habtoor, Vice Chairman and CEO, Paul Rayner, Advisor to the Chairman, and Noura Badawi, Director of Media and Communications. 

Mr. Al Habtoor has long been a supporter of the AUC. In 2010 he donated $5 million to finance a Football and Track Stadium in his name at the Cairo campus. He visited the university to officially inaugurate the Olympic standard track and stadium the same year. It is part of the AUC Campus. 

The President of the AUC said the university wanted to recognise Mr. Al Habtoor’s contribution to AUC and invited Mr. Al Habtoor to formally accept the honorary doctorate Stadium and Track. She also presented the Chairman with an Impact Report so he could see the benefits of his contribution. Among other events, the stadium was used to host the Egyptian Special Olympics in 2013. 

The group also discussed research currently underway at AUC. Ms Anderson said they are working on – and making progress with diagnostic techniques for Hepatitis C. Al Habtoor suggested the delegation visit the Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Simulation Centre in Dubai Healthcare City, which he funded. The center is a pre-hospital training facility for simulated trauma. It consists of two high-fidelity operating rooms, featuring functioning adult and paediatric intensive care and operating room equipment as well as an Intensive Care Unit/Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit, patient care rooms, a ward environment and a maternity room. 

Al Habtoor praised the importance of the research and said he was happy that the political situation has improved in Egypt. “I miss Egypt. I have fond memories there and hope to visit again soon.”