British university orders every student home from Egypt after two are arrested

The University of Edinburgh has told students on a year abroad in Egypt to return home, after two of their students were arrested in the country.

Two of the Edinburgh university's third-year students were detained by Egyptian authorities in Cairo.

Both were released but the reason for their arrests has still not been confirmed, according to student newspaper The Tab.

The University of Edinburgh said it's students studying in Egypt have now arrived safely back in the UK, or 'are in the process of leaving'.


A spokesman for the university said: "Two of our students in Egypt were recently detained and subsequently released by the Egyptian authorities in Cairo.

"The university is obviously very concerned when it hears of incidents such as this, particularly when they involve our own students.

"We have a responsibility to act in the best interests of our students and to take decisive action when there are concerns for safety and wellbeing.

"We therefore required all of our students in Egypt to return to the UK.

"All students have now done so or are in the process of leaving.

"We are working closely with the students to minimise the impact of any disruption to their studies and to provide alternative placements."