Egypt's Administrative Capital for Urban Development (ACUD) is on track to establish six major universities in the first phase of the new capital, said its spokesperson Khaled El Hosseini on Monday. The state-owned firm is currently executing the construction works of the six universities, which are on spaces ranging between 30 feddans and 80 feddans, El Hosseini said. ACUD is set to build the Canadian and European universities as well as Misr International University (MIU) in the new capital, he added. "We are carrying out 64 giant schools in the new capital's first phase on spaces of 80 feddans," El Hosseini said, adding that the first phase is being developed over 40,000 feddans. Located 45km (28 miles) east of Cairo, the anticipated new capital city is part of the Egyptian government's plan to expand urban areas to deal with the state's rapid population growth and improve the nation's infrastructure. The new city is set to be a 270-square-mile hub with 21 residential districts to accommodate five million people. It will feature 1,250 mosques and churches as well as 5,000-seat conference center, nearly 2,000 schools and colleges, over 600 medical facilities, and a park that is projected to be the world's largest.
