The Postgraduate Studies and Research Council of Alexandria University held its meeting today, Tuesday, January 20, 2026, chaired by Prof. Hisham Saeed, Vice President of the University for Postgraduate Studies and Research.

During the meeting, the Council reviewed an update on scientific articles that had been retracted from international journals after publication, along with the reasons for their retraction, based on data from the Retraction Watch Database. This comes within the framework of the University’s commitment to promoting research integrity and adhering to international standards.

In this context, the Council noted the approval of the establishment of the Office of Research Integrity, which is tasked with monitoring the research ecosystem at the University, identifying reasons behind the retraction of published research in international journals, working to limit this phenomenon, and supporting sound and responsible research practices.

The Council also discussed a proposal to establish subcommittees for Artificial Intelligence within the faculties and institutes of Alexandria University. These committees will be responsible for supporting and implementing the University’s institutional policies in the field of artificial intelligence, in accordance with ethical standards, good governance, and academic quality assurance.

Furthermore, the Council approved a proposal to amend the decision of the Postgraduate Studies and Research Council dated September 20, 2021, and the decision of the University Council dated September 28, 2021, concerning the extension of the validity period of academic courses for postgraduate students, which had been applied during the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Council also approved the preparation of a fee-based professional diploma program entitled “Standards for Accreditation of Healthcare Facilities,” in support of labor market needs and the enhancement of the efficiency of specialized cadres.

In addition, the Council approved the amendment of the name of the Department of Alkaloids and Experimental Therapy at the Institute to become the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, in line with scientific and disciplinary developments in this field.

Within the framework of international cooperation, the Council approved the establishment of two (2) professional diplomas in teaching French as a second or foreign language for the primary, preparatory, and secondary education stages, as joint academic degrees, within the partnership between the Faculty of Education at Alexandria University and Senghor University.