“Morocco and the Netherlands Sign MOU to Foster Academic Exchange”
Alalam24, Today in Rabat, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between Morocco and the Netherlands, aimed at training a new generation of professors and university graduates according to international standards
The MOU, signed by the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, Abdelatif Miraou, and the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Sigrid Kaag, opens up opportunities for Moroccan Ph.D. students to benefit from scholarship programs in the European country
The agreement also intends to support innovation structures, enhance horizontal and linguistic skills, improve quality and governance in higher education, and develop exchange programs to increase youth employability through sharing experiences and expertise in scientific research and innovation
Morocco becomes the first country to sign this type of agreement, committing to provide an annual total of 6.1 million euros for the “Higher Education and Technical and Vocational Training Program (P-ACT)” that includes 39 countries
During this meeting, Mr. Miriou emphasized the continuous increase in the number of joint scientific publications, which reached 2,000 publications between 2010 and 2022, covering critical subjects like physics, astronomy, engineering, and medicine
For Mr. Miriou, the signing of this MOU reflects the mutual desire of both parties to establish a framework that leads to strengthening and developing cooperation and partnership between Moroccan and Dutch universities
In this context, he clarified that the signed memorandum aims to develop university scholarship programs for a new generation of Ph.D. students, within the framework of joint supervision of research work. Furthermore, it contributes to establishing joint programs that promote scientific research in priority fields for both countries, especially related to sustainable development
On her part, Mrs. Kaag considered that this signing will contribute to enhancing cooperation between the two countries by opening the door for Moroccan students to pursue their studies in the Netherlands, especially in fields related to water and energy
She mentioned in a statement to the press that this partnership between Morocco and the Netherlands provides an opportunity for Dutch academics to exchange their experiences with Moroccan students
This meeting, held in the presence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Ambassador to Morocco, Gerwin W. R. van den Heuvel, served as an occasion for both parties to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations in the fields of higher scientific education, research, and innovation
