While the 2013/2014 academic year has just ended, it is time to take stock at the Moulay Ismail University of Meknes.

Speaking during a press conference organised on June 23 at the National School of Arts and Crafts (ENSAM) of Meknes, Ahmed Lebrihi, president of the University, made it known that 50,243 students were enrolled in the 8 establishments under the University this year, against 24,000 at the start of the 2010/2011 academic year. "A 9th establishment will open its doors at the start of the next academic year. It is the School of Sciences and Techniques of Khenifra, which should contribute to strengthening the training offer in the region," he added.

As for the pedagogical offer, he was keen to specify that the University currently has 184 courses which are of great diversity, since they touch on a multitude of specialties and vary between fundamental courses and professional courses. Scientific research was among the points on which the president dwelt, affirming that it is an important lever for the development of higher education in Morocco and in the world.

In this sense, he pointed out that the University of Meknes had 134 scientific research teams, distributed over 19 laboratories. "These teams operate in several research axes, such as geosciences, mathematics and computer science, engineering sciences, or even legal, economic, human, and social sciences. The University's researchers also produced, in 2013, 337 scientific publications. They also registered 30 national patents and 10 international patents, occupying in this register the 1st rank at the national level," he specified.

According to him, the scientific research sector of the Moulay Ismail University remains, however, confronted with several constraints, notably the scattering of human and financial means, the lack of an innovation encouragement policy, as well as the insufficiency of financial resources reserved for scientific research. "To remedy these problems, we have undertaken several measures aimed at strengthening good governance, supporting researchers financially and in terms of mobility and continuing education, as well as regularly organising colloquia and scientific events. In addition, and in order to ensure an environment conducive to scientific research, we have endowed the University with a centre for innovation and technological transfer and an incubator. Two research centres and a women's incubator will soon see the light of day," he explained. He also took the opportunity to highlight the opening of this university institution to foreign universities through partnership agreements and exchanges of experience in terms of research and teaching. He stressed, in this sense, that the establishment is linked through 168 partnership agreements to European, African, Asian, and American universities. "Thanks to the efforts deployed by all the teams of the University of Meknes, we aspire to place it among the best national universities, both in terms of quality of teaching, training offer, and scientific research and international development," concluded Ahmed Lebrihi.