
UPF Kicks Off Engineering Careers Week with Focus on Ethics, Practical Learning
Fez – The Private University of Fez (UPF) has officially launched the fifth edition of its highly anticipated Engineering Careers Week; an ambitious initiative designed to bridge the gap between academic training and real-world demands.
Led by Professor Ouazzani Jamil Mohammed, Vice President of UPF, the event promises a packed agenda blending scientific exploration, practical learning, and a deep commitment to ethical responsibility.
'This is an activity that allows our engineering students to challenge one another, present projects, and apply all the disciplinary knowledge they've acquired throughout their studies,' Professor Ouazzani told Morocco World News at the opening ceremony.
Over the coming days, students will participate in a range of scientific and para-scientific activities, from technical competitions to hands-on workshops, all designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.
More than just a showcase of student talent, the week is designed to serve as a training ground for future engineers to practice teamwork, develop leadership skills, and navigate real project challenges.
Central to the event's philosophy is a strong emphasis on ethics and responsibility, values UPF sees as fundamental to the engineering profession.
'It's not only about completing a project, it's about doing it with a sense of duty and ethical awareness,' Professor Ouazzani added.
That message will guide the activities of the week and shape the mindset UPF aims to cultivate in its students, he argued.
The opening ceremony welcomed a diverse group of industry experts, association representatives, and professionals from across Morocco. These guests will spend the week sharing their knowledge and experiences, giving students what Professor Ouazzani described as 'a real-world experience of what awaits them once they enter professional life.'
One of the most memorable moments from the first day was the visit of Ahmed Zainoun, the recipient of the 2025 Arab Hope Maker Award.
Known for his social work with children suffering from xeroderma pigmentosum, also called 'children of the moon,' Zainoun brought an inspiring message of empathy and action.
His speech left a lasting impression, reminding participants that engineering should always be rooted in social impact.
As the week unfolds, the UPF personnel and students expect their campus to transform into a hub of ideas, innovation, and purpose.
With its forward-thinking agenda and strong ethical foundation, Engineering Careers Week seeks to prepare students not just for careers, but for meaningful contributions to the world around them. Tags: Careers.Engeneering WeekPrivate University of Fez
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Morocco World
26-05-2025
- Morocco World
AI Offers Hope for Morocco's Groundwater Crisis in Oases
Rabat — A group of Moroccan researchers has developed an artificial intelligence system that could help solve critical water shortages in oases, offering new hope for communities facing severe groundwater depletion. Adil Moumane, a researcher at Ibn Tofail university in Kenitra, presented the study at the second edition of the International Congress on Oases and Date Palm (CIO), held May 22-23 in Ouarzazate. This year's edition focused on the resilience and adaptation of oases ecosystems to global changes, particularly climate change. The research combines machine learning with geographic technology to identify optimal locations for water collection infrastructure in arid regions. In an interview with Morocco World News (MWN), Moumane said: 'We use Geo AI to identify areas where we can build construction that can collect the rainwater.' 'We observed that in the area of Zagora, for example, there is a big decrease of the groundwater table.' The research focused on Morocco's Middle Draa Valley, a region facing severe aquifer stress. Moumane's team developed a system that analyzes ten environmental factors, including soil conditions, rainfall patterns, elevation, and vegetation coverage, to identify where water collection structures would work best. Read also: Morocco's ANDZOA Chief Calls for Urgent Action to Protect Argan, Oases Ecosystems The AI system tested six machine learning approaches and found that LightGBM, a gradient boosting framework that uses tree-based learning algorithms, performed best, achieving 90% accuracy in predicting optimal groundwater recharge zones. The system identified soil permeability, elevation, and proximity to streams as the most important factors for successful water collection. Morocco's oasis regions face mounting pressure from climate change and population migration. Traditional communities that have depended on these water sources for generations now struggle as water tables drop to dangerous levels. 'The Oases area is under pressure of climate change and also under the pressure of different other global changes like migration of local people,' Moumane noted. The researcher's framework offers a data-driven solution using satellite imagery and advanced algorithms. Local authorities can make informed decisions about water infrastructure investments before building expensive projects. 'Recent extreme rainfall during the 2024-2025 season in southeastern Morocco highlighted both challenges and opportunities these regions face,' he told MWN, explaining that 'while sudden floods cause damage, they also represent precious water that could be captured with proper infrastructure placement. 'This research pioneers the application of machine learning and deep learning on geospatial data for groundwater mapping in data-limited contexts,' Moumane explained. The framework's modular design allows adaptation for arid regions worldwide, potentially helping millions facing similar water challenges. Conferences like CIO provide a platform for innovations like Moumane group's AI system to offer practical solutions to preserve ancient oasis ecosystems for future generations, particularly in the backdrop of climate change pressing challenges. Read also: Morocco-UAE Partnership Strengthens Date Palm Industry Development Tags: AI and agricultureMoroccoOases and climate changeOases and date palme


Morocco World
23-05-2025
- Morocco World
Morocco's ANDZOA Chief Calls for Urgent Action to Protect Argan, Oases Ecosystems
Ouarzazate — As Morocco grapples with the mounting impacts of climate change, the National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Zones (ANDZOA) is sounding the alarm about the urgent need to protect two of the country's most fragile yet economically vital ecosystems. In an interview with Morocco World News (MWN), ANDZOA Director Latifa Yaacoubi painted a stark picture of the challenges facing Morocco's argan forests and oasis communities, while outlining her agency's comprehensive strategy to build resilience against an uncertain climatic future. 'Climate change is truly a scourge in these two ecosystems – argan and oases,' Yaacoubi said. 'We experience it, we observe it in the field, as does the local population living in these two ecosystems.' Since its establishment in 2012, ANDZOA has been tasked with what Yaacoubi describes as the delicate balance of 'reconciling two essential objectives.' The agency promotes sustainable development while preserving these unique biospheres that are home to millions of Moroccans and represent significant economic potential for the country. A collaborative approach to conservation ANDZOA's mission extends beyond direct intervention to fostering collaboration across Morocco's research and academic institutions. Rather than conducting research independently, ANDZOA works closely with partners, including the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute (IAV), and various universities to establish priority research programs. 'We must accompany and support scientific research with our partners,' Yaacoubi explained, stressing the importance of ensuring that research outcomes directly complement the agency's development programs on the ground. This collaborative spirit extends to ANDZOA's signature events, including the International Argan Congress, held every two years since 2011, and the International Dates Food Salon, which incorporates a significant scientific component. The agency is now planning to establish a dedicated scientific event for date palms, alternating with the argan congress every two years. Climate projections paint troubling picture The urgency of ANDZOA's mission becomes clear when considering the climate projections for Morocco's southern regions. Yaacoubi outlined a troubling forecast of 'less rainfall, fewer water resources, and increasingly rising temperatures' — conditions that will only compound the existing vulnerability of these delicate ecosystems. 'The fragility of these ecosystems makes them even more vulnerable and also makes the local population more vulnerable,' she noted. This vulnerability creates a cascading effect where environmental degradation directly threatens the livelihoods of communities that have depended on these ecosystems for generations. Prevention over reaction Perhaps most critically, Yaacoubi spoke of ANDZOA's strategy that centers on anticipation rather than merely responding to climate impacts after they occur. 'We must anticipate these climate changes,' she stressed. 'All the programs we are setting up with our partners, whether national or international, go in this direction — how to preserve what we have today and how to make it more resilient.' This forward-thinking approach represents a shift from traditional conservation models that often focus on damage control to one that seeks to build systemic resilience before catastrophic changes take hold. Integrated development strategy ANDZOA's work is characterized by what Yaacoubi calls an 'integrated program' that requires coordination across all relevant government departments and the pooling of both human and financial resources. This holistic approach recognizes that the challenges facing Morocco's argan and oasis zones cannot be addressed in isolation but require coordinated action across multiple sectors. The agency's strategy acknowledges that these ecosystems face multiple, interconnected pressures. Beyond climate change, factors such as desertification, water scarcity, and economic pressures on local communities all contribute to the degradation of these environments. A race against time ANDZOA's mission has taken on added urgency in recent years as Morocco has continued to experience more frequent droughts and extreme weather events. The argan forests of southwestern Morocco and the palm oases scattered across the country's arid regions represent not just environmental treasures but also crucial economic lifelines for rural communities. The argan tree, found nowhere else in the world, supports a thriving cosmetics and culinary industry, while the date palm oases provide food security and economic opportunity in some of Morocco's most marginalized regions. Yaacoubi's awareness-raising comments come as Morocco prepares to host various international climate conferences and continues to position itself as a leader in renewable energy and climate adaptation. For her, ANDZOA's work represents a crucial test case for how developing nations can balance economic development with environmental preservation in an era of accelerating climate change. He believes that the success or failure of efforts to protect Morocco's argan and oasis ecosystems may well serve as a bellwether for similar conservation challenges across North Africa and the broader developing world. 'We must all redouble our efforts,' Yaacoubi concluded, stressing that the scale of the climate challenge requires unprecedented coordination and commitment from all stakeholders. Tags: ANDZOAargan treesclimate changeOases


Morocco World
18-05-2025
- Morocco World
How Fez Private University is Turning Engineering Students into Startup Creators
Fez – At the Private University of Fez (UPF), engineering education is getting a bold upgrade. No longer just about equations and blueprints, the university is transforming how future engineers learn, think, and build. At heart if all this is a strong focus, on innovation, social impact, and entrepreneurship. This transformation was on full display this week during the university's annual Engineering Professions Week, a five-day event that culminates in something extraordinary: the Grand Prize for Engineering Sciences. Creating viable businesses Far from a typical student showcase, this competition challenges students to design interdisciplinary projects that are not only inventive, but also socially relevant, and, crucially, capable of becoming real businesses. 'We're selecting projects that could lead directly to the creation of viable businesses,' explains Dr. Ibrahim Akdim, Vice President in charge of Partnerships and Innovation in an interview with Morocco . His words reflect the deeper vision behind the event: to move beyond academic performance and instead build a culture of innovation that extends far beyond the classroom. Throughout the week, students are invited to develop solutions across disciplines, robotics, civil engineering, AI, environmental design, all while being guided by a clear question: How can this make the world better? The final day brings these projects center stage, judged by a panel of professors from various fields who assess each submission based on five forward-thinking criteria: innovation, interdisciplinarity, technical creativity, societal impact, and business potential. And the goal isn't theoretical. Promising projects are fast-tracked for incubation, first within the university, and then possibly at the regional or even national level. The quest for social impact This is where the Private University of Fez stands out: by creating an ecosystem where a student project doesn't just earn a grade, it becomes a company. Dr. Akdim stresses that the university's role isn't simply to teach; it's to inspire bold thinking and enable real-world outcomes. 'The idea is to bring different specialties together to produce something new and relevant,' he says. Students are encouraged to integrate artificial intelligence, address environmental challenges, and innovate with purpose. The atmosphere during the final day of Engineering Professions Week was electric, filled with ideas that might soon turn into startups, and students who are already thinking like founders. It's a space where creativity meets entrepreneurship, and where the future of engineering in Morocco is being built in real time. 'I am confident that this afternoon will be rich, productive, and truly encouraging for innovation and creativity among students and within the university,' Dr Akdim concluded. Tags: EngineeringStartupsThe UPF