The first agreement was signed by the President of Ibn Zohr University, Nabil Hamina, and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Laayoune, Fatima Zahra Alaoui El Hafidi, along with the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, María del Mar Tavio Pérez. This agreement aims to enhance academic and scientific cooperation between the two institutions, encourage academic excellence, and develop applied scientific research, particularly in the areas of technological innovation and clinical research, as well as establish a sustainable university partnership between the Canary Islands and the southern provinces of the Kingdom.

The second agreement was signed by the President of Ibn Zohr University and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Laayoune, along with the President of the University of La Laguna in the Canary Islands, Francisco García Rodríguez.

This agreement aims to develop multidisciplinary scientific cooperation in the fields of medical humanities, narrative medicine, clinical ethics, and anthropology. It also stipulates the promotion of faculty and student mobility, the development of joint research projects, and the creation of a joint university structure dedicated to medical humanities. This will strengthen academic and scientific cooperation between higher education institutions in the Kingdom of Morocco and the European Union.

In a statement to the Maghreb Arab Press Agency, Mr. Hamina indicated that the visit of the Spanish university delegation falls within the framework of strengthening cooperation launched at the beginning of this year with the Universities of La Laguna and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

He added that several partnership agreements have already been concluded with these two institutions, as well as with a technology institute in the Canary Islands, with the aim of developing joint projects in several fields, particularly the blue economy, climate change, water resource management, tourism, artificial intelligence, and sports science.

For his part, Mr. García Rodríguez noted the existing commitment to Ibn Zohr University, considering this partnership to be opening new horizons for cooperation between higher education institutions on both sides of the Mediterranean.

He highlighted that the two public universities in the Canary Islands (La Laguna and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) are working together on several issues, particularly climate change, tourism management, and the challenges related to energy and water scarcity.

The President of the University of La Laguna stated that the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra and Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab regions, given their geographical proximity to the Canary Islands, face similar challenges and opportunities, which underscores the particular importance of developing this university cooperation.

He concluded by expressing his conviction that this partnership will strengthen scientific and academic exchanges between the various institutions involved and develop joint projects that will benefit and contribute to the development of both regions.

The visit of the Spanish delegation to the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Laayoune and the Higher School of Technology underscores the shared commitment of both sides to elevate their cooperation towards a more structured partnership. This partnership will be based on identifying common scientific priorities, linking expertise and research teams, enhancing academic mobility, and developing concrete projects that address the specific needs of their respective regions.

This visit is also particularly significant as it highlights the richness and comprehensiveness of the educational offerings developed by Ibn Zohr University in the southern provinces of the Kingdom. These offerings encompass health sciences, applied technologies, engineering, and next-generation training programs.

News and events on Western Sahara issue/ CORCAS