Founded in 1919, The American University in Cairo (AUC) is a leading English-language, American-accredited institution of higher education. AUC places emphasis on research and is committed to diversity, lifelong learning, excellence, social responsibility, and integrity. Degrees from AUC are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in the US and by the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Assessment of Education (NAQAAE) in Egypt. According to QS World University Rankings, the university is ranked in the top 450 universities around the world.