The Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) is a member organization of the League of Arab States. It has the mandate to provide educational, vocational, and consultancy services to the communities of member nations of the League. In 2005, the Governorate of Aswan invited AASTMT to initiate a campus in the city. The purpose of the campus is to catalyze the development of the South Valley region, which comprises Aswan, Luxor, Qena, Sohag, Asyut, Minya, the Red Sea, and the New Valley. Accordingly, the city designated to AASTMT the dormitories of the Hotel School as a temporary campus in addition to a neighboring 3,250 sqm land for the construction of the permanent campus. Instructions started for the first time on the South Valley campus in October 2006.