Latest news with #PrivateUniversityofFez
Morocco World
18-05-2025
- Business
- 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
Morocco World
13-05-2025
- Science
- Morocco World
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: WeekPrivate University of Fez
Morocco World
25-04-2025
- General
- Morocco World
‘Bac Blanc' Mock Exam Returns to Fez to Support High School Students
Rabat – NAJ7INE initiative, in partnership with the Private University of Fez and the Regional Academy of Education and Training of the Fez-Meknes region, has announced the second edition of the 'Bac Blanc,' a large-scale mock exam for high school seniors. The event will take place on April 28, 29, and 30 at the campus of the Private University of Fez. It aims to help students in their final year of high school prepare for the national baccalaureate exams by offering them a realistic and well-organized test experience, the organizers said in in a press release. Similar to the first edition, this initiative is part of a larger effort to support young students in a practical way, added the statement. It gives them a chance to evaluate their level, understand the expectations of the exams, and build confidence as the official test days approach. Several well-known high schools from the region are involved in organizing the mock exams. With their support, students will receive high-quality guidance and fair evaluation in a supportive and motivating environment, according to the statement. The mock exams will cover all subjects set to be included in the baccalaureate exam and will follow the structure of each student's academic track. The organizers say they are committed to creating a calm and focused atmosphere, managing logistics carefully, and offering personalized follow-up for students. According to the Ministry of Education, 79.4% of students passed the 2024 baccalaureate exams, an improvement from the 74.3% success rate in 2023. A total of 347,861 school-based candidates succeeded across both the regular and makeup sessions. Of the 126,870 candidates who took part in the makeup session, including both school-based and independent students, 72,054 passed, resulting in a 56.8% success rate. Tags: bacBaccalaureateFez
Morocco World
23-04-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco Hosts International Conference to Rethink Finance and Innovation
Academics and business leaders gather in Fez this week for the first International Conference on Management, Innovation, and Finance (MIF 2025), a new initiative to connect the dots between research and real-world economic shifts. The two-day event, running from April 23 to 24, is co-organised by the Private University of Fez and Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University. It brings together finance professors, digital experts, and young researchers to discuss issues ranging from fintech to climate change and finance. Safae Ismaili, a lecturer and researcher specialising in finance, frames the conference as a response to Morocco's evolving economic landscape. 'MIF 2025 is a platform for dialogue, critical thinking, and collective construction around the major economic challenges of our time,' she told Morocco World News (MWN). Safae Ismaili, a lecturer and researcher specialising in finance She stressed the need to bridge theory and practice, explaining: 'The ambition behind this conference is quite clear: to create a genuine link between academic research and real-world application, between universities and businesses, between ideas and concrete action. Because yes, it's good to think—but it's better to think to transform.' Read also: Entrepreneurial Growth in Morocco: A Decade After the Global Entrepreneurship Summit Pascal Nguyen, a professor of finance at the University of Montpellier and one of the event's keynote speakers, echoed that sentiment. 'I'm genuinely impressed by the quality of the organisation and the calibre of the speakers I've heard this morning. There's an abundance of highly qualified young people… I feel Morocco has a very bright future,' he told MWN. Nguyen, who also co-leads a programme on green finance, spoke about the dangers of corporate short-sightedness. 'The question is: why do firms often make the wrong choices? Why do they pursue investments and decisions that are unsustainable and trigger crises—whether social, financial, or economic?' The event aimed to tackle such questions head-on, with panels exploring everything from digital transformation to low-carbon policy. As Morocco pushes to bring its economy up to date and attract green investment, MIF 2025 may prove a timely meeting of minds. 'Morocco is in motion,' said Dr Ismaili. Tags: economyfinanceInnovationMoroccoPrivate University of Fez
Morocco World
21-04-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
UPF Brings Together Experts to Rethink Management and Finance
Rabat – The Private University of Fez (UPF) has announced that it will bring together academics, experts, and professionals from around the world for the first edition of its International Conference on Management, Innovation, and Finance, MIF25. The two-day event will take place on April 23 and 24 at the university's Professor Rachid Yazami Conference Center. Jointly organized with the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, the conference will explore how organizations, economies, and institutions respond to a rapidly shifting world shaped by digital acceleration and environmental pressure. MIF25 seeks more than scholarly analysis. It opens a space for critical dialogue, fresh ideas, and concrete experience around what it means to lead, innovate, and manage responsibly today. Rethinking innovation and responsibility The conference builds on an interdisciplinary approach, with seven core themes. Each reflects a challenge, technological, economic, or ecological, that demands serious attention from leaders and researchers alike. One axis looks at how sustainable innovation reshapes entrepreneurship in a digital context. Startups no longer compete only on creativity, but on their capacity to adopt responsible models in increasingly data-driven environments. Another theme focuses on management styles and leadership. Agile methods now emerge as essential tools, not buzzwords, for steering institutions through change. Speakers will share lessons from real-life transitions, what worked, what failed, and what remains uncertain. Supply chains also enter the spotlight. As the industry moves toward automation and AI-powered logistics, the question of sustainability grows more urgent. Sessions will explore how smart technologies can help reduce carbon emissions and support circular economy strategies. Finance, cities, and the digital consumer MIF25 places finance at the center of broader societal shifts. Panels will examine how green bonds, ethical investments, and decentralized tools like blockchain can contribute to more equitable systems. There will also be debate around ESG integration and the risks of digital disruption in finance. Urban development features prominently as well. With smart cities moving from concept to reality, speakers will discuss how public-private partnerships shape sustainable infrastructures and how policies can encourage more inclusive, eco-conscious urban growth. Digital marketing rounds out the list of topics. In an age where every click leaves a trace, experts will reflect on the power and the limits of branding, influence, and consumer engagement through online platforms. MIF25 seeks to do more than observe, UPF promised in its statement. It invites participants to shape new ways of thinking about innovation, finance, and governance. Whether the focus is on a startup, a city, or an academic institution, it stressed, the common thread remains how to build models that respond to today's challenges without compromising tomorrow. Tags: Morocco educationMorocco UPFUPFUPF Fez
