New Prospects and Challenges for Science and Education in the MENA region

This conference to be held in Marrakech (Morocco) next 9-11 March 2012; addresses a very timely topic- new prospects for science and education in the MENA region in light of the recent developments in the Arab world. The purpose of this conference is three-fold:

- to discuss the MENA scientific research status, challenges and the new prospects resulting from the recent developments;

- to address some of the region’s strategic research priorities, namely energy, climate change and desertification, biotechnology and the role of mathematical sciences for the region’s development;

- to come up with concrete plans to boost further scientific cooperation between Germany, the MENA region and Mediterranean countries through the Alexander von Humboldt Mediterranean Network Initiative and the German-Arab World Academy of Young Scientists Forum.

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Conference Chair:

Abdelhadi Soudi, Humboldt Ambassador Scientist 
Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

Session Program chairs

- The AvH Med Net project, featuring, amongst others, the setting up of a first “wind engineering and wind energy association”

Claudio Borri, President of the Italian Alexander von Humboldt Alumni Association, Universita’ di Firenze, Italy

- Energy: challenges, Mediterranean solar plan, energy efficiency

Brahim Benhamou, Caddi Ayad University, Morocco 
Abdelaziz Mimet, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Morocco 
Louy Qoaider, enerMENA Manager, German Aerospace Center, Germany

- Climate change, Aridity, Drought and Desertification in the MENA region

Jauad El Kharraz, The Euro-Mediterranean Information System on The know-how in the Water sector 
Mandi Laila, Caddi Ayad University, Morocco
Olfa Mahjoub, INRGREF, Tunisia

-Biotechnology

Mustapha Barakate, Caddi Ayad University, Morocco 
Malika Abid and Mohamed ElAmrani, Mohammed I, Morocco

- Mathematical Sciences

Lahcen Maniar, Caddi Ayad University, Morocco 
Nazih Gadhi, Dhar Mehraz University, Morocco 
Abdelaziz Rhandi , University of Salerno, Italy

- German-Arab World Academy of Young Scientists Forum

Dr. Jauad El Kharraz, Secretary General of the Arab World Association of Young Scientists (ArabWAYS)
Dr. Olfa Mahjoub, President of ArabWAYS

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Preliminary Agenda

“New Prospects for Science and Education in the MENA region”

Marrakech, March 9-11, 2012

Organized by

Maghreb-Alexander von Humboldt Alumni Association

in collaboration with

The Arab World Academy of Young Scientists

The AvH Mediterranean Network

and

The German Embassy in Rabat

Day 1: (March 9, 2012)

Plenary Sessions

Keynote Speech 1: Scientific Research in the MENA region: Status, challenges and Perspectives

- Facts, figures and challenges

- Priority research issues & Strategic S&T fields

- New prospects resulting from the recent developments in the Arab World

Keynote Speech 2: MENA Higher Education Key Issues and best practices

- Entrepreneurship in Higher Education 

- Higher Education and S&T

- Best practices in the region

- MENA Higher Education and the Bologna Process

Concurrent session addressing some of the priority research issues in the MENA region 

- Climate change, Aridity, Drought and Desertification in the MENA region

Session Program chairs:

2 Session moderators: (Tunisia, Germany)

- Energy: challenges, Mediterranean solar plan, energy efficiency

Session Program chairs: Abdelaziz Mimet and Brahim Benhamou

2 Session moderators: (Algeria, Germany)

- Biotechnology

Session Program chairs: Mustapha Barakate, Malika Abid and Ahmed ElAmrani

2 Session moderators: (Jordan, Egypt)

- Mathematical Sciences 

Session Program chairs: Lahcen Maniar, Abdelaziz Rhandi and Nazih Gadhi

2 Session moderators: (Italy,Spain)

Session moderators:

Day 2 (March 10, 2012):

Plenary session: follow-up meetings of Germany-MENA/Mediterranean Research and Education Cooperation 

Morning:

Session 1: German-Arab Young Scientists Forum (Session chaired by Arab-World Academy of Young Scientists Steering Committee)

Afternoon :

Session 2:AvH Med Net Initiative (Session chaired by Prof. Claudio Borri, President of the Italian Alexander von Humboldt Alumni Association

Day 3 (March 11, 2012):

8h30-11

Plenary session: The role of funding agencies in promoting science and education in the MENA region in light of the recent developments 

&

Success stories of the international scientific research cooperation/linkages in the MENA region

11h00-11h20 Coffee break

11h20-12h30

Meeting of the Maghreb-AvH Humboldt Alumni Association

Afternoon

Cultural trip to the Ourika Valley (30 km south of Marrakech) and the seven waterfalls.

Conference Chair

- Abdelhadi Soudi, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

Conference co-chair

- Malika Abid, Mohammed I University, Oujda, Morocco.

Programme committee (to be confirmed) 

- Jauad El Kharraz (Secretary General), Arab-World Academy of Young Scientists & EMWIS/SEMIDE, France

- Laila Mandi, CNEREE-UCAM, Marrakech, Morocco

- Claudio Borri (President of the Italian Alexander von Humboldt Alumni,

Association, Universita’ di Firenze, Italy

- Lahcen Maniar, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Abdelaziz Mimet, Energy NCP, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan, Morocco

- Brahim Benhamou,Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Mustapha Barakate, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Ahmed El Amrani, Mohammed I University, Oujda, Morocco

- M’barek Benchanaa, ENCG-Marrakech, Morocco

- Olfa Mahjoub, ArabWorld Association of Young Scientists President & INRGREF Researcher, Tunisia

- Abdelaziz Rhandi, University of Salerno, Italy

- Peter Langer, University of Rostock, Germany.

- Mohamed Ellouze, vice-president of the Maghreb-AvH Alumni Association, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Tunisia

- Hadef Redjem, vice-president of the Maghreb-AvH Alumni Association, Larbi Ben M'Hidi Unversity, Algeria

- Ashraf Abadi, German University in Cairo, Egypt

- Lambis Baniotopoulos, Civil Engineering Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

- Valentin Mirceski, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Ss Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, fyr Macedonia

- Luis Herrera Mesa, Presidente de la Asociación Alexander von Humboldt de España, Universidad de Navarra, Spain

- Marwan Mousa, President of the Jordanian Club of Humboldt Fellows), Mutah Unversity, Jordan

- Arhrib Abdesslam, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Morocco.

- Majda Rahal Sekkal, Sidi bel abbes University, Algeria.

- Nazih Gadhi, Dhar Mehraz University, Morocco.

- Chouaib Benqlilou, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

- Mohamed Lahcini, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Abderrahmen Selmi, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Tunisia.

- Ahmed Mazzah, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, France.

- Lahkim Bennani, Dhar Mehraz University, Morocco.

- Nadjib Ferhat, Centre national de recherche préhistoriques anthropologiques et historiques, Algeria.

- Chatti Saber, INRAP, Technopole of Sidi Thabet; Tunisia

- Mohameed Bourrous, Centre d’Expertises Industrielles, France

- Nassr Chelouah, Abderrahmane Mira University, Bejaia, Algeria

- Abdelhadi Soudi, President of the Maghreb-AvH Alumni Association, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

Organizing committee (to be confirmed)

- Mohamed Lahcini, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Mustapha Barakate, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Lahcen Maniar, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Nazih Gadhi, Dhar Mehraz University, Morocco

- M’barek Benchanaa, ENCG-Marrakech, Morocco

- Malika Abid, Mohammed I University, Faculty of Sciences, Morocco

- Thami Akki, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

- Mouhssine Daoudi, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

- Soufiane Aaziz, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Imad Fakhouri, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Ahmed El Amrani, Mohammed I University, Morocco

- Abdelhadi Soudi, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco