Usama Abdul Raouf, vice president of Al-Azhar University's Assiut branch, announced the opening of special classes for female students at the all-male faculties of pharmacy and medicine in early 2018. The March 27 decision was made to spare female students the long commutes to other branches of Al-Azhar University.

The decision sparked controversy. Some thought that Al-Azhar was giving up its Sharia values that forbid the mixing of men and women, while others saw the decision as a victory for the civilized world and an opportunity for cultural and social development in Upper Egypt and change in Egyptian society’s perception of women.

Raouf told Al-Monitor that Al-Azhar University took the step to make the lives of women students easier and that the Assiut branch is only administratively affiliated with the all-male faculties.

He added, “Female students will study in a building within the same campus three meters from that of male students and separated from it with a fence. Behind it, a medical science building was constructed to hold classes for female students as a prelude to establishing independent faculties of pharmacy and medicine for them in the future. Equipping the morgue at the Faculty of Medicine requires huge funding. That is why the morgue at the all-male student faculty is also used by female students but on a different schedule. Three days for male students and three days for female students.”