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Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, inaugurated the Middle East Round of the international “Oxford Price Media Moot Court” Competition, held from 1 to 4 February 2026 and hosted by the Faculty of Law at Ain Shams University.

The opening ceremony took place on Sunday in the presence of Prof. Ghada Farouk, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development; Prof. Yassin El-Shazly, Dean of the Faculty of Law; Prof. Mohamed El-Shafie, Vice Dean for Education and Student Affairs; along with a distinguished group of international experts. Among them were Ms. Elizabeth Bektold from the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights at the University of Oxford, Dr. Holly Johnston from Columbia University’s Global Freedom of Expression initiative, Dr. Ahmed Khalifa, the regional coordinator of the competition, as well as several prominent academics, judges, lawyers, ambassadors, and legal practitioners.

In his opening remarks, the University President expressed his pride in hosting this major regional event, praising the strategic cooperation with leading international universities. He emphasized that hosting the competition at the Faculty of Law and the Ain Shams University Innovation Hub (iHub) reflects the university’s vision of integrating technology and innovation into legal education. He also noted that the longstanding partnership with the University of Oxford since 2015, and the participation of Columbia University as an academic partner for the second consecutive year, underscore the international significance of the event.

Prof. Mohamed Diaa further explained that this year’s competition theme, “Media Law in the Digital Era,” carries particular importance considering rapid technological developments. He stressed that such events aim to refine students’ skills in legal analysis, advocacy, and addressing contemporary challenges related to digital rights.

The University President welcomed the participating teams from Egyptian and Arab universities, including delegations from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia, affirming that youth represent the driving force of change and progress in the region. He reiterated that Ain Shams University is always open to supporting academic excellence and cross-border cooperation.

For her part, Ms. Elizabeth Bektold, representing the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights at the University of Oxford, highlighted the depth of partnership with Ain Shams University, noting that the continued hosting of this round in Cairo reflects a genuine commitment to advancing human rights and media law standards in the region. She added that the University of Oxford highly values the analytical capabilities demonstrated by participating students, which contribute to building a shared global legal language.

In a related context, Dr. Holly Johnston of Columbia University’s Global Freedom of Expression initiative emphasized the importance of the competition’s digital dimension. She expressed her pleasure that Columbia University is taking part in this forum for the second year in a row, noting that the discussions on digital rights taking place at Ain Shams University demonstrate that the next generation of Arab legal professionals is fully aware of the complexities of the digital age. She stressed that the competition seeks to equip young participants with the tools to defend freedom of expression responsibly and professionally, while ensuring that legislation keeps pace with rapid technological change.

Prof. Yassin El-Shazly, Dean of the Faculty of Law, stated that hosting this international event for the second consecutive year reflects the global confidence placed in Ain Shams University’s academic system. He explained that the competition aims to move legal thought from theory into practical application, particularly in complex digital media cases. He added that through organizing this event, the Faculty opens global horizons for its students and for participating teams from across the Arab region, enhancing their international advocacy skills under the supervision of experts from Oxford and Columbia, and preparing a new generation of legal professionals equipped with modern tools while maintaining the Faculty’s leadership in international forums for more than a decade.

He further emphasized that this hosting reinforces the position of the Faculty of Law at Ain Shams University as a leading regional destination and a legal hub in the Middle East, having successfully transformed the event into a unique platform that brings together the authenticity of Arab legal traditions and the latest international standards.

Dr. Ahmed Khalifa, the regional coordinator of the competition, focused on the importance of moot court activities in general for developing critical thinking skills and the ability to view legal issues objectively from multiple perspectives.

The first day’s agenda included a series of discussion sessions combining academic and practical dimensions. Among them were sessions on digital rights, including a panel on “Digital Rights and Freedoms in an Evolving Legal Landscape” with the participation of researchers from Columbia University; a session on artificial intelligence discussing the future of legal professions and judicial practice in light of the AI revolution, with experts from major law firms and the Universities of Oxford and Alexandria; and an interactive workshop on advocacy skills aimed at enhancing moot court simulation techniques and legal pleading skills for participating law students.

It is worth noting that the Oxford Price Media Moot Court Competition holds a distinguished position in legal education worldwide, offering an innovative approach to legal learning through an interactive experience that sharpens students’ analytical and problem-solving skills. It is considered one of the most prestigious legal competitions globally, aiming to promote a culture of legal research and oral advocacy among students in the fields of freedom of expression and media law.

The hosting of this event by Ain Shams University reflects the institution’s leading role in building bridges of cooperation with major international universities. The competition is scheduled to continue over four days, concluding with the final pleading rounds and the award ceremony honoring the winning teams and those excelling in legal brief writing.