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| University of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah | |
|---|---|
| Name | University of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah |
| Native name | Université Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah |
| Established | 1975 |
| Type | Public |
| City | Fes |
| Country | Morocco |
| Campus | Urban |
| Students | ~80,000 |
University of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah is a public Moroccan university located in Fes, founded in 1975 and named after Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah. The institution serves a large regional student population and maintains partnerships with international universities such as Université Paris-Sorbonne, University of Granada, and University of Coimbra. It is a key higher education center in the Fès-Meknès region with faculties that span the humanities, sciences, law, medicine, and engineering, engaging with organizations like the African Development Bank, UNESCO, and the European Union on collaborative projects.
The university's origins trace to postcolonial expansion of Moroccan higher education under the reign of Hassan II and national reforms influenced by advisers connected to the Ministry of National Education (Morocco), the Kingdom of Morocco's regional development plans, and initiatives tied to the International Organization of La Francophonie. Early formations included preexisting schools absorbed from institutions in Fez and from technical institutes patterned after models from École Polytechnique and Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon. During the 1980s and 1990s the university expanded amid bilateral cooperation with the Government of Spain, the Government of France, and multilateral funding from the World Bank and the African Union. Recent decades saw campus modernization supported by the EU Horizon 2020 framework and academic exchange agreements with the University of Manchester, University of Bologna, and University of Montreal.
The university's urban campuses in Fes include dedicated sites for the Faculty of Medicine of Fez, the Faculty of Science, and the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, along with engineering schools and vocational institutes modeled after École des Ponts ParisTech. Facilities comprise laboratories accredited for biomedical work in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (Morocco), libraries connected to the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco, and research centers aligned with the Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II and the Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science Innovation and Research. Student services encompass dormitories, sports complexes, and cultural spaces that host events connected to Fes Festival of World Sacred Music and exchanges with partners such as Casa Árabe and the British Council.
Academic organization follows a system of faculties, schools, and institutes including the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Law, Economics and Social Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, National School of Applied Sciences (ENSA) of Fez, and the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Fez. Programs offer undergraduate, master's, and doctoral tracks structured in semesters compatible with the Bologna Process, with professional degrees aligned to accreditation bodies like the Ordre National des Médecins (Morocco) and links to professional organizations such as the Bar Association of Morocco and the Association of Moroccan Engineers. Curricula include interdisciplinary modules created in cooperation with CNRS, the Pasteur Institute, and the European University Institute to support cross-border degrees with institutions like the University of Salamanca and University of Porto.
Research units at the university collaborate with national and international bodies including the Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNRST), the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza, and the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM). Key research themes cover public health in partnership with the World Health Organization, renewable energy projects linked to the African Renewable Energy Initiative, water management programs cooperating with the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme, and heritage preservation aligned with ICOMOS and the Moroccan Ministry of Culture. Technology transfer offices and incubators liaise with regional actors such as the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE) and the Casablanca Stock Exchange to support startups and patenting initiatives.
Student life includes cultural associations, sports clubs, and professional societies that interact with external entities like the Union of Students of Morocco (UNEEM) and international student networks such as the European Students' Union. Student organizations host debates on topics involving the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), coordinate volunteer programs with Red Cross branches, and organize career fairs with partners including the OCP Group and Royal Air Maroc. Campus media outlets and associations stage festivals linked to Fes Festival of World Sacred Music and exchange programs with Erasmus+ partners like University of Barcelona and Humboldt University of Berlin.
The university is administered by a rectorate headed by a rector appointed through procedures involving the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation (Morocco), a Board of Directors, and academic councils patterned on governance models from Université de Lyon and Université Mohammed V. Administrative units coordinate finance, human resources, and international relations with offices liaising with institutions such as the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), the European Commission, and national accreditation agencies. Strategic planning incorporates national higher-education reforms influenced by agreements with the World Bank and regional development policies from the Fès-Meknès regional council.
Alumni and faculty have included figures active in Moroccan public life, academia, and arts, with links to institutions like the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Morocco), and international organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme. Professors have collaborated with research centers including the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and the Max Planck Institutes, while graduates hold positions at universities and ministries across the Maghreb, Europe, and Africa, participating in networks with the African Union Commission and the Union for the Mediterranean.