A prospecting mission for USF was carried out in Morocco by the author of this note.  It was carried out from May 2 to 10 while enjoying a Franco-Moroccan family wedding, so on my own account.

It is the University of Kenitra that seems to me priority here by the relevance of its requests, the responsiveness of its chain of command, and the interest in USF. Moreover, it seems that the signature of the model agreement would not be a problem in any of the three visited institutions.

Kenitra: Ibn Tofai University

This public university welcomes 65,000 students in 11 faculties. Jean Ruffier intervenes as president of USF to examine what kind of interventions could be appropriate to strengthen the activity of this remarkable university. We sent a note to frame the type of possible interventions, as well as a standard agreement. Our contact was a professor of one of the faculties whose function is to train teachers in virtually all disciplines, including the Islamic religion of which we had the opportunity to meet one of the professors. A pedagogical research institute is attached to this faculty, which at this level is proof of an openness and a desire for progress. A note was given to the Director of Studies who passed it to the Director of the Faculty, who forwarded it to the Vice-President who forwarded it to the President of the University. As a result, all these people received us and debated with us what USF could bring them.

We have said that this university is remarkable, particularly because of the autonomy, including financial autonomy, left to each faculty. Moreover, the new president is very active in pushing for transversal actions between faculties. The cooperation proposal with USF is therefore both in the training school of trainers and in the presidency of the university. This university is concerned with adapting to the transformations and needs of Morocco and society in general. A new faculty should specialize in digitization and AI. There is already support for the use of computers and web resources for students and staff.

During the discussion, the following themes were discussed:

On the hiring of Moroccan or foreign professors who have made part of their career abroad, the president shares a new rule that allows him to hire at the level corresponding to seniority in the profession, regardless of the country.

On international collaborations, the difficulty is to maintain the relationship over time, probably better choose its partners and in this, the intervention of USF can really be an asset.

This is particularly the case in the exchange of students with foreign universities. The University pays a scholarship of €7,000/month to each student it wishes to see completed by the host university.

The university is in the process of setting up a doctoral training program and USF support can be part of this process.

It has done a lot of work on her links with the economy but is not satisfied with the results in certain disciplines. Here too, USF could make proposals.

There could also be issues on relations with Chinese economic or academic actors. There, one can imagine a cycle of conferences.

In the training school for trainers, it is particularly on sending students to do part of their studies abroad that must be worked (recruitment of partners, setting up and monitoring of exchange actions. But also, on the creation of master’s degrees which is a strong strategic orientation of the school today

Rabat: Private University: Hightech

This university worked on telecoms but increasingly switched to data, cybersecurity (they are an international event on the subject) and AI, as well as a management program.

Their first need would be to find an academic professor specializing in AI.

The second need expressed is that of student exchanges with China. I quickly realize that their knowledge of China and how to achieve sustainable cooperation with it is quite limited. They would like us to help them understand the Chinese market.

Fez Faculty of Science of the Public University of Fez

The passage through Fez, was necessary for a new president. This faculty of sciences of Fez is the site of a historical collaboration with USF. Robert Laurini and Yves Pagnotte worked there even before the creation of USF. It was apparently the professors of Fez who had the idea of the association. We find a faculty very open to France with ERASMUS and a significant participation in the AUF. We have met with the Vice-Dean and a good number of professors, many of whom remember and maintain close relations with these two USF colleagues. We were able to attend a symposium where speakers from France, Quebec, Senegal, and many local PhD students presented solid papers before an assembly mainly composed of master’s students whose level of questions is the same as that we would have in France. In our quick passage, we noted that the weakness here is not in the academic level, but the distance to the Moroccan economic milieu. Result: the best students tend to do internships in France and find positions there. An analysis of the type of those proposed by USF could help this faculty contribute more to the country’s success.