AUC to Offer Advanced Cosmetics Entrepreneurship Professional Diploma

The American University in Cairo (AUC) is introducing a new Advanced Cosmetics Entrepreneurship Professional Diploma, developed in partnership with the Egyptian Cosmetics Company (ECC). The program builds on AUC’s earlier Cosmetics Formulation Entrepreneurship Professional Diploma (COZM), launched in 2023 in collaboration with the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA). The new diploma is designed for professionals who have completed the COZM diploma, seeking advanced technical training and project-based learning in cosmetics formulation and business development. The diploma will be offered through AUC’s Engineering and Science Services (ESS) beginning in 2026.

“The cosmetics industry is flourishing in Egypt, and the Advanced Cosmetics Entrepreneurship Professional Diploma is here to teach the future leaders of the industry the science behind safe, reliable and revolutionary products,” said Wael Mamdouh, professor of nanotechnology at the Department of Chemistry, AUC. “AUC is here to ensure that entrepreneurs entering the market are prepared with technical and business knowledge, and have the tools to reach success,” he added.

Mamdouh emphasized that by the end of the program, students would emerge as experienced entrepreneurs, ready to share their unique perspectives. He also affirmed that participants will continue to receive support through ongoing guidance and mentorship, ensuring that “no one is left on their own.”

The new diploma builds on the structure of the COZM program, which teaches the essentials of the cosmetics industry across three modules: scientific foundations, business skills, and regulatory procedures in cooperation with the EDA. The advanced diploma will maintain this three-module structure but introduce more hands-on opportunities through interactive chemistry labs and participant-led product design. The science module will focus entirely on laboratory work, while the business module will be based on individual project development.

Through the partnership with ECC, participants will gain direct exposure to the industry. ECC’s manufacturing branch will produce prototypes of formulations developed by participants and host factory tours to demonstrate the realities of product fabrication. At the end of the program, participants will present their prototypes to a panel of judges from ECC and AUC. The top three projects will receive sponsorship from ECC, including support for product creation, registration of cosmetic product files at EDA, free batch production and advertising assistance.

The program reflects AUC’s distinctive approach to linking education with industry needs, offering students hands-on experience that bridges classroom learning and real-world application. With the success of participants who graduated from the COZM diploma, including two startups now active in the market, Mamdouh is confident that the advanced diploma will build on this momentum.