Casablanca – The 2nd edition of the African Congress on Simulation in Health Sciences (SIM Africa 2025), and the 1st edition of the African Congress on Pedagogy in Health Sciences, began their proceedings on Friday in Casablanca, under the theme "Innovative pedagogy in health sciences: Africa in the era of simulation, robotics, and artificial intelligence."
Organized over three days by the Mohammed VI International Center for Simulation in Health Sciences (CIM655) and the Mohammed VI University of Health and Sciences (UM6SS), in partnership with the Mohammed VI Center for Pedagogy Applied to Health Sciences (CMEPASS), these two scientific events bring together several researchers and experts from the worlds of education and health sciences to highlight pedagogical innovations and new learning approaches by integrating advanced tools such as clinical simulation, medical robotics, and artificial intelligence.
Speaking on this occasion, the Delegate Director of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Health and Sciences (FM6SS), Youns Bjijou, explained that Morocco, at the crossroads of tradition and modernity, is becoming a leading player in the health sector, noting that the Kingdom's universities and hospitals are no longer mere places of transmission, but true innovation laboratories integrating medical simulation, artificial intelligence, and interprofessional approaches, as these tools are bridges between theory and practice, serving the patient.
"This congress is a fertile ecosystem, conducive to the emergence of ideas capable of saving lives, during which we will highlight innovations such as virtual reality for medical training, the use of big data to refine diagnoses, and the valorization of error as a learning lever," he added, calling at the same time to preserve the balance between technology and empathy, and to build an inclusive, sustainable medicine connected to local realities, while opening up to Africa, Europe, and the world.
For his part, the president of the UM6SS, Mohamed Adnaoui, noted that Africa is at a crossroads, and that in the face of the health challenges of the 21st century, training models must evolve, emphasizing that pedagogy in health sciences can no longer be limited to classical approaches, but must be immersive, interdisciplinary, and technological.
In this sense, he indicated that SIM Africa 2025 is a space for reflection, exchange, and pedagogical innovation, since thanks to robotics, immersive reality, artificial intelligence, or even 3D printing, "we are training to provide better care."
By bringing together participants from the African continent and beyond, "with this Congress, we are betting on an Africa that innovates, collaborates, and inspires. This congress is a true call to action," he said.
The Director General of the Mohammed VI International Center for Simulation in Health Sciences, Mohammed Chahbouni, highlighted, for his part, the importance of health simulation as an essential tool for improving professional training and ensuring patient safety, highlighting Morocco's commitment, under the impetus of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in favor of innovative, inclusive, and technological pedagogy.
The congress brings together two major African events around simulation, robotics, and artificial intelligence, with more than 800 participants, 30 practical workshops, and more than 200 scientific works, he continued, maintaining that SIM AFRICA 2025 is not just a scientific congress, but a strong commitment to the future of health training in Africa.
The opening ceremony was marked by the presence of the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Amine Tehraoui, and the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, Azzedine El Midaoui. On this occasion, the winners of the "Best Oral Communications" and "Best Poster Communications" were announced.
The SIM Africa 2025 program includes conferences, masterclasses, and practical workshops that will address topics such as hospital internships and their supervision, health assessment, the integration of simulation in teaching, and pedagogical reforms in medical sciences.
SIM Africa 2025 also offers immersive sessions covering several disciplines, namely robotic surgery, radiology and endoscopy, immersive simulation in emergency medicine, dentistry and pharmacy, and health engineering and artificial intelligence.
This article Focus in Casablanca on the revolution in health education through innovation and simulation first appeared on MAP Express.