ALEXANDRIA, Oct 27 (Aswat Masriya) – The University of Alexandria expelled on Monday seven students for protesting on campus without a notice, reported state-run news agency MENA.

Roshdi Zahran, the university's deputy chairman, told MENA that the university administration is conducting investigation with 16 students accused of protesting inside campus without prior notice and using slogans which oppose the armed forces and the police.

Zahran added that the university is maximising its security measures in cooperation with the administrative security and the private security company Falcon.

Before the start of the academic year, the cabinet discussed measures to be adopted during the year to quell any possible tension.

Minister of Higher Education Sayed Abdel Khalek hired a private security company on September 24 to guard 12 public universities during the academic year.

Strict security measures adopted by Falcon Security Services at the university gates nevertheless triggered violence from the students, who became frustrated with their delayed entrance into campus.

The academic year has witnessed violence since its start on October 11.

A law student at the University of Alexandria was reported dead last Tuesday due to wounds sustained during on-campus violence during the first week of the year.

University campuses have witnessed unprecedented violence throughout the past academic year, with at least 16 students killed amid on-campus protests, according to the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression's (AFTE) Student Observatory.

The pro-Mohamed Mursi "Students against the coup" movement has been organising protests against the former Islamist president's military ouster throughout the past academic year as well as this year. Protests have often devolved into clashes with security forces.

At least 370 students were expelled from 10 different universities last year, AFTE reported in June.