The board of trustees of the American University in Cairo (AUC) on Monday appointed Lisa Anderson to the position of university president.

Anderson, who will become the university's eleventh president, will replace David Arnold, whose term will expire in December.

“I look forward to working closely with the board to make the university a center of excellence for higher education in the Middle East,” she said.

Board chairman Richard Bartlett described Anderson as the "most suitable candidate" for the post, noting that she was known internationally for her research on Middle East and North African politics. Bartlett also pointed to her managerial and leadership skills, adding that she had greatly contributed to the university during her tenure as academic director.

As academic director, Anderson was responsible for establishing AUC's first doctorate degree program of the university. She also established three new academic majors and appointed a number of qualified faculty members to the teaching staff.

Anderson holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MA in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. In 1981, she earned a PhD in political science from Columbia University. She was also awarded an honorary law doctorate from Monmouth University in 2002.

Anderson served as dean of public and international affairs at Columbia University, as well as head of the university's political science department and Middle East Institute. She also served as co-chairperson of Human Rights Watch Middle East and was a member of the organization's Foreign Relations Council.

Translated from the Arabic Edition.