At the end of August 2025, an editorial delegation from ARIJ visited Cairo to expand partnerships with media faculties across several universities and institutes, and to engage with investigative journalists, both ARIJ-affiliated and prospective collaborators, as well as partner media organizations and the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate. The visit focused on advancing investigative journalism and addressing disinformation amid the challenges posed by rapid media developments in the era of artificial intelligence.

The delegation, comprising Editor-in-Chief Munir Khatib, editor and trainer Farah Jallad, and investigative journalist and coach Ahmed Ashour, kicked off the visit with a workshop at the Muanath Salem, a feminist initiative that supports Egyptian female journalists. The session, designed for women journalists, introduced ARIJ’s investigative methodology and explored story ideas on women’s and gender issues, including guidance on submitting proposals through ARIJ’s “How to Do an Investigation with ARIJ?” framework.

Strengthening Academic Partnerships

The team met with academics at four private universities: the European University, the American University in Cairo (AUC), the Canadian University, and Al-Ahram Canadian University.

At the University of East London in Cairo, Dr. Meral Sabri, Dean of the Media Program, highlighted the integration of the ARIJ Investigative Journalism Manual into the curriculum, which forms a substantial part of the investigative journalism course. She expressed the university’s readiness to host ARIJ-nominated journalists to meet with students and share professional experiences.

“Training should not be confined to investigative journalism alone,” Sabri noted. “We also emphasize digital security and artificial intelligence.”

At AUC, the delegation met Dr. Noha El-Mikawy, Dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and Dr. Mohamed Fahmy Menza, Senior Director of Executive Education. Discussions centered on opportunities to train students in investigative methodology, fact-checking, and media literacy. El-Mikawy underscored the importance of expanding training beyond students to reach diverse groups, and emphasized building a solid foundation for large-scale training through university partnerships.

“This visit is very dear to me,” she said. “ARIJ is an institution whose work I deeply respect, as do many journalists in the Arab world. I attended the ARIJ Forum last year and was full of pride and admiration for ARIJ’s ability to endure and thrive.”

At the Canadian University, discussions with Dr. Amal El-Ghazawy, Dean of the Faculty of Media, explored collaboration in training media students. The university invited ARIJ to nominate journalists to deliver lectures and share expertise, as well as to participate in its upcoming scientific conference in December with training sessions and workshops on the sidelines.

At Al-Ahram Canadian University, Dr. Enas Abu Youssef, Dean of the Faculty of Media, proposed that ARIJ evaluate student investigative projects and provide mentorship to support early-stage investigative journalism.

Engagement with the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate

The ARIJ team also met with Khaled El-Balshy, head of the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate, to discuss training journalists in AI tools and the ethical use of emerging technologies in professional practice.

“What journalists most need, and what ARIJ can contribute, is investment in depth and individual creativity, while also providing mechanisms for professional development and alternative tools,” El-Balshy remarked.

Following the meeting, the delegation participated in a panel discussion at the Syndicate titled “Investigative Journalism in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Disinformation (100 Investigations from Egypt Over Five Years as a Model).” The session, attended by around 70 journalists, including ARIJ-affiliated reporters, interested collaborators, and Syndicate board members, addressed topics such as training Egyptian trainers for in-person instruction and creating mechanisms to identify and support investigative journalists.

Collaboration with Egyptian Media Platforms

As part of its broader engagement, ARIJ visited media platforms including Al-Manassa and ONA to explore avenues for supporting Egyptian journalists and sustaining impactful investigative production from Egypt.

At ONA, publisher of Masrawy, Yalla Kora, El-Consulto, and Shift, the team met with Editor-in-Chief Magdy El-Gallad. Discussions covered training ONA journalists in investigative journalism, fact-checking, and AI. El-Gallad proposed a collaboration to co-produce televised investigations for YouTube, combining ARIJ’s investigative expertise with ONA’s audiovisual production capabilities.

The tour also included a visit to Welad El-Balad, where the team met founder and CEO Fatma Farag and Mohamed Shoair, Editor-in-Chief of Bab Masr. Farag expressed enthusiasm for continued collaboration with ARIJ, building on the success of their joint investigation “Transit Antiquities… How Forged Ownership Documents Enabled a European Gang to Smuggle Egyptian Antiquities.”

Exploring Future Investigations

Alongside institutional visits, the ARIJ team also met with Egyptian journalists to discuss proposals for future investigations, focusing on themes such as the environment, migration, social violence, gender discrimination, and digital violence against women.

Over the past five years, ARIJ has produced and supported nearly 100 investigative reports from Egypt—cementing its role as a leading hub for investigative journalism in the region.