• Prof. Ghada Farouk, a distinguished alumna of Ain Shams University, achieved a significant milestone for the university when she assumed the position of Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, becoming the first woman to hold this position since the university's inception.

• Dr. Ghada Farouk has an extensive and impressive record of accomplishments throughout her academic and professional journey. She is the Chair of the Department of Design and Urban Planning at the Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University. She has numerous works and academic qualifications to her name, in addition to receiving several awards.

Career Progression

Dr. Ghada Farouk earned her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture in 1989 with first-class honors from the Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University. She obtained her Master's degree in Urban Design in 1994, followed by a research mission in 1999 to collect scientific material for her doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. In 2000, she earned a Ph.D. in Urban Planning with a focus on environmental control and planning.

Dr. Farouk has held numerous positions throughout her career, ultimately serving as the Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development in February 2023.

Her academic journey began as a teaching assistant in the Urban Planning Department at the Faculty of Engineering, then she became a lecturer in the same department, eventually rising to the position of Head of the Department of Design and Urban Planning from 2018 to 2023.

She has held several key positions, including serving as the Chair and member of the permanent committee for promotions to the ranks of Professor and Associate Professor in the fields of Architecture and Planning, affiliated with the Supreme Council of Universities. She also directed the Housing and Urban Development Architecture Program for universities, was Chair of the Department of Architecture at the French University in Egypt, and was appointed Director of the Technical Office at the General Authority for Urban Planning, Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Development.

Dr. Ghada Farouk has led several community service projects, including preparing visual identity guides and architectural character for neighborhoods and regions in collaboration with the Urban Coordination Authority.

Community Engagement

Dr. Ghada Farouk led applied research on identifying needs in existing cities using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and demographic data to comprehensively identify underprivileged areas in the city of Minya. She also worked on adopting an innovative approach to address unplanned areas at the national level, managed by the Slum Development Fund.

Dr. Ghada participated in preparing the strategic future vision for Cairo 2050, managed by the General Authority for Urban Planning, where she was responsible for urban studies, analysis, and coordination with other disciplines. She also participated in urban surveys and the development of a database for the main urban cluster in Cairo. Additionally, she contributed to preparing the Strategic Urban Development Plan (SUP) for 50 cities, managed by UN-Habitat, where she served as the team leader and urban planner. She was also involved in implementing the "Regional Urban Sector Profiles Study" (RUSPS), a practical research project sponsored by the UN-Habitat Program, in the cities of Suez and Alexandria.

Currently, Dr. Ghada Farouk works as a consultant for participatory planning at the General Authority for Urban Planning, where she focuses on documenting and evaluating the participatory process used in the Cairo Future Vision Project, and leads the team responsible for the participatory planning component of the third phase of the project.

She led the pilot project for slum development through participation (Matarieh District), initiated by the General Authority for Urban Planning. Dr. Ghada also participated in surveying and classifying unsafe areas in Egypt as a consultant at the Slum Development Fund (ISDF), in addition to contributing to the development of strategies for dealing with slum areas in Egypt, achieved by the General Authority for Urban Planning.

She was also involved in the urban development of the Abu Hashish area in Cairo Governorate and the Azbet El-Maamoun area in Fayoum Governorate. In the field of urban design, Dr. Ghada left her mark as an urban designer and landscape coordinator in several projects, including the Half Moon Beach Development Project and the KAND Project in Saudi Arabia.

Awards

Dr. Ghada Farouk has numerous publications related to inner-city renewal, participation, and urban planning. She has received several awards in the fields of architecture and planning, including the Design Award for Public Squares in the New Administrative Capital and the honor of representing Egypt at the 2023 Venice Biennale. In 2024, Dr. Ghada Farouk received the Regional Award for Landscape Coordination in the Middle East, sponsored by IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects), for academic excellence in urban planning and landscape coordination.
 

During her tenure as Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, the university won second place in the Best Environmentally Friendly University Competition in August 2023. In February 2026, the university, alongside several Egyptian universities, also won participation in the EUSEEDS project funded by the European Union and implemented within the framework of the Interreg NEXT MED program. The university additionally achieved first place in the National Urban Coordination Competition, reflecting her pioneering expertise in urban planning and urban development.

In March 2026, Entissar El-Sisi, spouse of the President of the Republic, honored Dr. Ghada Farouk during the “Egyptian Women: Icons of Success” celebration organized by the National Council for Women. The event celebrated inspiring Egyptian female role models who achieved distinguished accomplishments across various fields. The recognition came in appreciation of her outstanding role and contributions to academic work and community service, as well as her effective efforts in supporting development and community initiatives, reflecting the status of Egyptian women and their ability to achieve success and leadership in different sectors.

During the closing ceremony of the 14th International Conference of Ain Shams University in April 2026, the University President presented the university shield to Dr. Ghada Farouk in recognition of her outstanding efforts and active role in organizing the conference and supporting community service and sustainable development.