In Tunisian and Egyptian universities, scholars face a growing Islamist resolve to remake their countries on the basis of religious principles. Both Tunisia and Egypt face questions that could affect higher education across the Middle East and North Africa: Can their new Islamist governments spread conservative religious values and also create vibrant, modern universities? Will they respect or restrict academic freedom? And will the legacy of the Arab Spring be a revitalized academe or a stifled one? Tunisian and Egyptian universities have arrived at similar crossroads by different paths. Tunisia is a small, Francophone country with a modern history of strong secularism; Egypt is the most populous Arab country and the birthplace of political Islam. In Tunisia, Islam was kept outside the university for decades, while, in Egypt, Islamist groups and preachers, many of whom espouse a conservative interpretation of Islam that limits free speech and the rights of minorities and women, have been active for decades. Unlike in Tunisia, Islam permeates Egyptian public life and institutions, and academics tread carefully in matters pertaining to religion.