u/Adventurous-Limit657

(There is a summary the the end if you don't want to read all of this)

For context, I'm an Egyptian who studied in Saudi Arabia. I've decided to study engineering and I've always been fascinated with tech. I knew early on (since middle school) that I wanted to work in this field, but I honestly can't decide whether to specialize in hardware or software. That's why Computer Engineering seems perfect: it gives me a broad foundation and lets me specialize later once I've found what I'm most passionate about.

Now I'm at the stage where I need to choose a university. I've set five priorities to help me decide:

1. Quality of education
A solid curriculum that covers both hardware and software, not just an overload of theory based work . Modern labs, practical projects, and professors who actually engage make a huge difference. I want to be sure that what I'm studying will actually prepare me for my career, not just be something to pass the time.

2. Career opportunities (especially for someone aiming to work abroad)
If you're a CE grad working abroad, did your university help you get there? Through internships, job fairs, or alumni networks? I know that in the end it comes down to my own skills and personal projects, but a university that gives me an edge in the international job market would be a huge plus.

3. International recognition
I know some unis have ABET (AAST, ASU, FUE) or AQAS/AQUIN accreditation (GUC, GIU), or ECTS-compatible credits for Europe. I'm planning to pursue a master's abroad after some work experience, and I want a degree that's taken seriously in the Gulf, Europe, or North America without me having to constantly explain or fight to get it recognized. Between the accredited ones, which actually carries the most weight internationally?

4. Extracurricular activities (clubs and teams)
I've noticed a lot of graduates land jobs off the back of their club projects and competition teams, not just their degree. So a university with strong extracurriculars (robotics teams, coding clubs, engineering competitions) would help me build a real portfolio.

5. Quality of student life
Not as crucial as the others, but still important. Engineering is tough, and I'm ready for the workload, but I don't want to spend 4 years in a dead social environment that makes it harder. I'm a social person, I want to meet people and make lasting friendships. So my priority here is: no bdann . A vibrant campus or at least a normal social scene would go a long way.

My situation:
I've honestly been leaning more and more towards GUC. It has a strong program, a big alumni network, and the option of three semesters abroad in Germany, which could really help with finding a job there. The people I've asked have said great things about it. But I also have some worries: I heard a number of professors moved to GIU, and it's making me wonder if the quality of education has been affected. I also heard from some people that it's unnecessarily hard, so that makes me a bit unsure.

I've also considered GIU's robotics major. I know that contradicts what I said earlier (it's a specialization from the start), but if GIU offers better advantages than GUC, especially job-market-wise, I'm willing to go there and specialize in robotics. Robotics is a niche field that's expected to have a talent shortage and significant growth around the time I graduate.

I considered AUC too, but the tuition fees are simply too much for my budget. I thought about scholarships, but I think my chances are very low considering how the Saudi Arabian diploma is viewed compared to IGCSE or SAT.

I'm also looking into the credit-hours programs at public universities like Cairo University, Ain Shams, or Alexandria University. Would these be a better fit for my goals, especially when it comes to cost, recognition, and flexibility?

My family is in Alexandria, but I'm very willing to move if the university is worth it. I have many close friends in Cairo (honestly, I'd rather be with them). So, given all that: is it better to stay in Alex (say, AAST or E-Just) or move to Cairo for stronger programs? And which universities would you recommend for Computer Engineering with these priorities in mind?

In summary:

• I'm an Egyptian who studied in Saudi Arabia, set on Computer Engineering because I want to keep both hardware and software paths open.
• My top priorities are: education quality, career opportunities abroad, international accreditation, strong extracurriculars, and a decent social life (no bdan).
• I'm leaning towards GUC for its strong program, alumni network, and the Germany semester option, but I'm concerned about professors leaving and the workload being unnecessarily tough.
• GIU's robotics major is risky : I'd consider specializing early if it gives me a better shot at a growing, niche job market.
• AUC is out of budget, and scholarships seem unlikely with a Saudi diploma.
• I'm also exploring public credit-hours programs (Cairo, Ain Shams, Alexandria) and wondering if they offer a solid balance of cost, recognition, and flexibility.
• I'm from Alexandria but willing to move to Cairo (honestly, I'd rather be with my friends there).

My main question: Given everything above, would you recommend staying in Alex for AAST or E-Just, or moving to Cairo for stronger programs like GUC, GIU, or the public credit-hours options? And overall, which university do you think fits my priorities best for Computer Engineering with an eye on working abroad?

I know questions like these have been asked before but the latest I found were 2 years ago a lot has changed since then so I am wondering if there is any valuable advice you can give me now I would be very thankful.