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Al-Ahram Weekly 27 May - 2 June 1999 Issue No. 431 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 27 May - 2 June 1999 Issue No. 431
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Living Features Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Plain talk
By Mursi Saad El-Din
I have always believed that the role of a university extends beyond its campus for once the academy becomes nothing more than an ivory tower where a small group of people acquire education and culture, then it is, to all intents and purposes, dead. There must, I believe, always be a close link between the university and the ordinary man in the street.
I was particularly happy, then, to receive new magazine published by Ain Shams University. The magazine is called On. But why On, some may ask. The first article in the magazine, by Raafat Abdel-Hamid, dean of the Faculty of Arts, explains that On was the ancient Egyptian name for Ain Shams. It was there, according to the article, that in 3200 BC the first theory of creation was born, making of the sun, Aton Ra, a god. Then followed a series of nine gods whose issue constituted humanity. Abdel-Hamid continues with the story of Isis and Osiris and the eventual creation of the concept of justice. The article is likely to become an important resource, an historical reference written in a simple, albeit literary style, which makes it easy for the non specialist to appreciate.
An interesting article by Yunan Labib Rizk concerns the establishment of Ibrahim Pasha, now Ain Shams, University which started functioning in 1950. It was the third of Egypt's universities, coming after Fouad, now Cairo, and Farouk, now Alexandria, universities. Alexandria University opened its doors in 1942, in the middle of the second World War, at a time when Alexandria was threatened by the German armies. When the idea of a second university was first mooted, the general consensus, as reflected in the press and among educationalists, was that it should be located in Assuit, and bear the name of Mohamed Ali. And such was the power of the press in those days to keep its finger on the contemporary pulse that the new university was called after Farouk, and based in Alexandria. Some educationalists were vehemently opposed to the idea of creating new universities. Yet, finally, Ibrahim Pasha University was established and leading academicians selected to oversee its administration.
I thought, going through this article, that it would be useful to give students the history of their university, thus helping to create a sense of belonging. Most of the articles are written by university professors, dealing with topical issues such as globalisation. Yet another article deals with allergies, while another writer outlines the possible appearance of a future map of Egypt, taking into account the new cities that are mushrooming these days. Dr Shebl El-Komi writes about language and life while Dr Nabil Ragheb analyses the power behind literary creation and the role of inspiration. He gives examples from both English and Arabic.
An interesting article deals with the future of culture, on the occasion of the passage of 60 years since Dr Taha Hussein published his famous book of the same title. The author, Dr Youssef Hassan Nofal, comes to the conclusion that what that book evoked in the way of discussion continues to the present: "How similar is tonight with last night. Dr Taha Hussein was searching for the balance between colonial ambitions and the national aspirations of the people, exactly as the current position of culture and education today in the face of what might ensue from the new world system."
The magazine is welcome in the cultural field and is, certainly, a positive contribution of Ain Shams University to the process of the spreading of culture among the people.
