The Administrative Court on Wednesday dismissed all challenges against its verdict cancelling former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq's decision to allocate Nile University land to the Zewail Science City project. The Court ruled that NileUniversity holds the rights to the lands and buildings, dismissing the challenge filed by Noble Prize winning scientist Ahmed Zewail, who has been involved in a dispute with NileUniversity students over the land for almost two years. A second challenge was filed on behalf of President Mohamed Morsi, Prime Minister Hesham Qandil, Minister of Higher Education Mustafa Saad and Minister of Communications Atef Helmy. This was also dismissed. “The students are heading to campus to celebrate the verdict,” said Ahmed Nassar head of the NileUniversity student union. He added that the students demanded a formal apology from Zewail. “He has to apologise for misleading people and lying to them this whole time,” Nassar said. The court said that the interests of the students should be protected and that the situation should be stabilised to safeguard enrolled students' futures. NileUniversity students had organised and carried out a sit-in for almost 200 days in protest over the ScienceCity project. The court decision came after an advisory report was issued in January by the State Council Commissioners, recommending returning the disputed lands to the university's ownership. The report also advised President Morsi to declare NileUniversity a civil university.
