The Effects of Centralization of Islamic Higher Education in Egypt: From the Medieval to the Modern

This study compared how, over time, the centralization of Islamic Higher Education affected educational quality, probity of school management and general levels of and appreciation for knowledge. This research involved comparing characteristics of Egyptian Islamic Higher Education at three pivotal points in time: the early medieval period (623-1300s C.E.); the 15th century; and the period of British and French colonization (the 19th and 20th centuries). The logic behind choosing these particular time periods for comparison was that they represented times of significant centralization/decentralization of Egyptian Islamic Higher Education. Upon analysis of the effects of centralization and de-centralization, it has been found that the centralization of Islamic Higher Education in Egypt has had negative effects. It was found that, over time, the centralization of Islamic Higher Education played a central role in decreasing educational quality, increasing corruption, and decreasing general levels of and appreciation for Islamic knowledge.