Mansoura University started as a faculty of medicine under the authority of Cairo University, established in 1962. In 1972, a presidential decree established a university under the name ‘East Delta University’, although it became known as Mansoura University a year later.

Four of the university faculties – the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Special Education, the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, and the Faculty of Kindergartens – are located off-campus.
The university is known for its medical facilities, with nine major hospitals and medical centres including a children’s hospital, a Medical Experimental Research Centre (MERC) and a Urology and Nephrology Centre – in fact, the Urology and Nephrology Centre is the largest of its kind in the whole of Africa, and was established by renowned Egyptian urologist Mohamed Ghoneim.

Other well-known graduates of Mansoura University include former politician Ayman Nour, political activist Khairat el-Shater and novelist Mohamed Mansi Qandil.