• October 11, 2023

The British International School of Egypt: Preparing Confident and Responsible Citizens

The British International School of Egypt

The British International School of Egypt is a pre-school through to year 12 British and American international school located on shr 35. The school is an independent and non-profit making school which prepares children for life through a balanced and challenging curriculum. BISC develops boys and girls who are confident and capable to take their place in a changing world.

Our Vision

We want our pupils to become confident, successful and responsible citizens of the world. We provide them with a broad-based education and encourage them to fulfil their aspirations, ambitions and potential in an environment which is British in style and values.

BISM is the newest school in the GEMS Education group and opened its doors in 2013. It caters to students from Pre-School through to GCSE (English National Curriculum) and Sixth Form offering both British and American sections.

We offer excellent benefits including free, well-maintained, furnished school accommodation in close proximity to the school in Madinaty or choice to claim housing allowance if you prefer your own living arrangements. BISM is also proud to be one of the few schools in Egypt that offers comprehensive medical and accident insurance for all staff and their families.

Our Mission

BISC strives to provide high quality education and care in an environment where all pupils are valued and encouraged to develop their full potential. We are committed to providing global educational programs complemented by comprehensive mental, physical, artistic and technical education systems that are suited for every child irrespective of their age and origin. We also aim to give children an education that will enable them to become active, responsible citizens of the world and to help them take their place confidently in a global society. BISC is a co-educational school, offering both British and American education from Foundation Stage 1 to GCSE.

Our Curriculum

The School’s curriculum design and instruction aim to meet the needs of students through a process of continuous improvement. This will include the provision of innovative instructional approaches that are both practical and progressive, and will allow for the attainment of new standards that are both relevant and challenging. The School will also provide opportunities for hands-on experiences and the development of knowledge/concepts that foster a greater understanding and appreciation of individual differences.

BISC provides an international education that is British in its character and in the way it prepares pupils for university study, leadership roles at all levels of society and for life in the global community. The school offers a full academic program complemented by comprehensive mental, physical, artistic and technical education systems.

  • October 11, 2023

The Love Affair That Led to an Abdication Crisis

The First Time in British History That a King Abdicated

For the first time in British history, a monarch stepped down from the throne of his own free will. Edward VIII inherited the crown from his father George V but gave it up to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson.

His abdication set the stage for his niece, Queen Elizabeth II, to become Britain’s longest-serving monarch. His reign lasted 325 days.

Edward VIII’s love affair with Wallis Simpson

The scandal erupted in 1936 when Edward, who had inherited the throne from his father, George V, fell head over heels for twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson. At the time, British law and tradition barred marriages between a member of the royal family and a divorcee.

The king was determined to marry her, but the prime minister and his family refused to accept his proposal. He then offered to marry her in a morganatic marriage in which she would keep her title but not inherit the throne.

Borman, whose book about the love affair is out in February, says that the letter shows how obsessive and head over heels Edward was for Simpson. However, she suspects that Simpson was never a candidate to become queen. Her desire may have been to enjoy the attention of a wealthy man. She was, by her own admission, bored stiff by him. She reportedly enjoyed her life as the king’s mistress but did not want to be his wife.

The abdication crisis

In a matter of months, King Edward’s decision to marry a divorced commoner plunged the British monarchy into an unprecedented constitutional crisis. Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin manipulated the situation and, according to critics, used the event as an opportunity to revive his dwindling political career. The abdication crisis stripped the Crown of any remaining independent political power and guaranteed that it would never again occupy such a position in Britain.

On 11 December 1936 – ‘that dreadful day’ – he signed the Act of Abdication at Fort Belvedere, declaring that he was renouncing the throne. He left the country for France with Mrs Simpson and was demoted from ‘His Royal Highness’ to the Duke of Windsor. His exile was voluntary, but it’s highly unlikely that he will ever set foot on British soil again. It’s likely that his brother or sister will visit him occasionally, in order to maintain a semblance of family ties. His life interest in Balmoral and Sandringham will probably remain with him.

Edward’s abdication speech

The abdication crisis of 11 December 1936, the moment when Edward renounced his rights to the British throne in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, has entered the history books as one of the most dramatic episodes of the modern monarchy. It was certainly the first time that a monarch had voluntarily abdicated.

The conventional story of why he chose to abdicate is well known: he fell in love with Wallis and decided that he could not be both king and her husband. The rest is history.

Britain’s senior mandarins were alarmed by Edward’s laissez-faire attitude towards his duties and responsibilities. Warren Fisher, the head of the Home Civil Service, and Maurice Hankey, the Cabinet Secretary, both expressed concern about Edward’s handling of confidential State papers – acts of Parliament, notes of confidential diplomatic discussions, drafts of treaties, details of naval and military organisation.

Clive Wigram, the King’s private secretary, warned that Edward might soon develop into a George III.

Edward’s exile

At the start of his reign, Edward was popular with most of the Establishment – he was seen as a breath of fresh air at a time of intense unemployment and political turmoil. He was an attractive maverick with a fondness for flying in fresh fish from Fortnum and Mason, which was delivered to his French castle every morning.

The only thing that marred his reign was the scandal of his love affair with Wallis Simpson. He had sought permission from the Church of England and the Royal Family to marry the American divorcee, but they refused.

It was never quite clear if he intended to succeed his father Canute, but when he died in 1042 he became the new king with the support of his powerful ally the Earl Godwine of Wessex. At this time, there were no clearly established principles on royal succession – kinship, designation as the late king’s heir, and support from the Church and nobility all played their part.

  • October 11, 2023

Academic reputation, international research network, sustainability, and student satisfaction at UBC.

The University of British Columbia Among the Best Universities in the World

The university’s beautiful campus is situated on a peninsula surrounded by ocean and forest. It is considered to be one of the best universities in the world.

It is also one of Canada’s top comprehensive universities. Maclean’s ranks it in the top 20 in its rankings, which include subjective reputational surveys and objective performance indicators like research funding.

1. Academic reputation

Academic reputation is a key factor that influences the performance of universities worldwide. It is measured by the number of alumni who win Nobel Prizes, have been named Rhodes Scholars and become members of the Royal Society. It is also a prominent component of the QS World University Rankings.

In order to obtain a credible academic reputation, a university must have an excellent research and teaching environment. To achieve this, the university must hire expert teachers and conduct groundbreaking research. This research must then be shared with the world. In addition, it must work with the community to make an impact on the world around it.

The academic reputation of a university is measured through the Academic Reputation Survey. This is a global snapshot of a university’s reputation, taken from the opinions of more than 100,000 academic experts. These experts are asked to name a university that they believe has excellent research in their field of expertise. The results of the Academic Reputation Survey are then used to calculate each university’s overall ranking.

2. International research network

In a new category this year, the ranking assessed universities on their international research networks. The ranking calculates this by measuring the natural logarithm of the difference between a university’s count of distinct international research partnerships and the total number of higher education institutions represented.

This was one of three categories that contributed five per cent to U-Multirank’s final tally, alongside academic reputation and employment outcomes. The ranking also included a new assessment of university sustainability, which recognized UBC’s early commitment to carbon neutrality and ongoing extensive work to reduce water and air pollution on campus and beyond.

Overall, UBC ranked 35th in the world and second among Canada’s public universities. Its strongest performance was in the academic reputation category, where it placed 11th globally – a result that is based on survey responses from scholars around the globe. The university was also lauded for its research output and the impact of that research on society, including through TRIUMF, Canada’s national lab for particle and nuclear physics.

3. Sustainability

UBC has one of the most extensive sustainability initiatives in post-secondary education. The university’s efforts on campus help reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and waste. UBC’s Climate Action Plan 2030 includes goals to achieve a 85 per cent reduction in operational emissions, a 45 per cent decrease in extended impact sources and fostering ecological well-being on campus.

The university is also recognized internationally for its research and teaching that contributes to a sustainable future. UBC was ranked 13th in the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings for its focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Western was also ranked first in Canada and third worldwide in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings: Sustainability. The ranking evaluates how universities are working to tackle the globe’s biggest environmental, social and governance challenges by measuring their activities across two broad categories. The QS ranking examines 37 indicators in the areas of sustainable education, sustainable institutions and sustainable research.

4. Student satisfaction

UBC is known for its beautiful campus, its top notch professors and its commitment to sustainability. However, some students are not satisfied with their experience at the university. For example, some students are unhappy with the competition to get into the best programs and courses. In addition, some students are unhappy with the way they are treated by their professors and academic advisors.

Many first-year students are concerned about the financial burden of a university education. This is especially true at certain universities. One-fourth to one-third of students at these universities are very concerned about having enough funding to complete their studies.

Generally, students were satisfied with the help they received from their university in deciding on their programs and course selections. This satisfaction was higher among female students than males. Satisfaction was also higher for students intending to major in arts and humanities than for those intending to major in science. These results were similar for older and younger students.