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Morocco World
21-07-2025
- Morocco World
Agadir Court Convicts Professor of Defamation Over Master's Degree Scandal
Rabat – The primary court in Agadir on Monday issued its ruling in the defamation case against university professor Ahmed Qilich , who is currently held in pre-trial detention at Oudaya prison in Marrakech. Qilich was facing charges brought by a fellow professor at the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences at Ibn Zohr University, following a complaint filed in 2022. The colleague, head of the private law department, accused him of defamation and insult during an official meeting, after she refused to endorse his master's program file, citing administrative irregularities. In its verdict on the criminal charges, the court acquitted Qilich of the offenses of issuing threats and insulting public officials. But it found him guilty of defaming a woman based on her gender and ordered him to pay a fine of MAD 50,000, in addition to covering court costs and minimum enforcement fees. On the civil side, the court ruled that Qilich must also pay symbolic damages of one dirham to the plaintiff while rejecting the rest of her civil claims. This ruling comes as Qilich remains in detention pending trial in a separate and highly publicized case involving allegations of selling master's degrees and certificates for money—a scandal that has sparked widespread debate in academic and public circles. The detention order in the second case was issued by the investigating judge for financial crimes at the Marrakech Court of Appeals, following an investigation by the National Judicial Police Brigade. According to reports, several other individuals are also involved in the case and have appeared before the King's Attorney General at the same court. This is not the first time such a university scandal has made headlines in Morocco. The incident brings to the surface the ' Sex for Grades ' scandal from 2022. In this case, several Hassan I University professors were arrested in Settat, found guilty of sexually harassing female students in exchange for academic incentives. Tags: ahmed Qilichdiploma scandalIbn Zohr University
Morocco World
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Morocco Marks the 55th Birthday of Prince Moulay Rachid
Rabat – On Friday, the Moroccan Royal Family and the Moroccan people will joyfully commemorate the 55th birthday of Prince Moulay Rachid, an occasion that unites the nation in celebration and sincere well wishes for King Mohammed VI, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, Prince Moulay Rachid, and the entire royal family. Born on June 20, 1970, in Rabat, Prince Moulay Rachid pursued his academic path with distinction. In May 1993, he earned a degree in public law with a specialization in internal administration, along with a diploma in comparative law from the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences in Rabat, both with honors. Three years later, in June 1996, he obtained his second graduate degree in international relations with high distinction. On May 18, 2001, he earned a PhD in law from the University of Bordeaux, receiving the highest honors and a special commendation for publication for his dissertation titled 'The Organization of the Islamic Conference: A Study of a Specialized International Institution'. Prince Moulay Rachid has long shown a deep commitment to cultural, social, and sporting life in Morocco. Since April 1997, he has presided over the Royal Moroccan Shooting Federation, and in 2018, he took the helm of the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation. He also leads the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association and the Marrakech International Film Festival Foundation. Over the years, he has represented the King at key national and international events and chaired major cultural and sporting ceremonies. Recently, on June 17, he chaired the extraordinary general assembly of the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation. In April, he inaugurated the 30th edition of the International Book and Publishing Fair in Rabat and visited the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II in Fez during a traditional ceremony for the royal family's youngest members. Earlier this year, in February, Prince Moulay Rachid presided over a royal dinner at the Chellah archaeological site and later awarded the winners of the Hassan II Golf Trophy and the Lalla Meryem Cup. In December 2024, he represented the King at the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and attended a state dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. In November, he presided over the royal dinner at the official opening of the Marrakech International Film Festival. A few weeks prior, he joined the royal family in welcoming President Macron to Morocco and attended the signing of major bilateral agreements. The celebration of Prince Moulay Rachid's 55th birthday is a moment of national unity and heartfelt allegiance to the monarchy an enduring expression of Morocco's loyalty and shared joy. Tags: BirthdayMoroccan Royal FamilyPrince Moulay Rachid
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
Ya Biladi
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Diaspora #376 : Rachida Mezyaoui champions immigrant support and integration in Italy
In Italy, Rachida Mezyaoui is one of the pioneering Moroccans in community work and the defense of family and children's rights, particularly in connection with issues of immigration and social integration. Thanks to her rich academic and professional experience, she has succeeded in combining social action with legal and anthropological studies, which has given her a central role in interventions focused on family cohesion. Born on December 29, 1976, in Fqih Ben Saleh, Rachida earned her bachelor's degree in private law at the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences of the Moulay Ismaïl University of Meknès, then a master's in «religion, culture, and migration» at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences of Mohammed V University of Rabat. She initially considered continuing her studies in France before fate decided otherwise. In 2002, she joined her family in Italy, where she attempted to continue her studies. Faced with administrative obstacles, she had to repeat a year to complete her studies. «This temporarily distanced me from studies and university, so I immersed myself in the working world, but at the same time, I got involved in community action», she told us. In the host country, Rachida worked alongside Italian students, professors, and some Palestinians to promote the Palestinian cause within the «Palestinian Movement Group». «We worked to support the Al Amal school in the Aida camp in Jenin. For me, it was an extension of my years in scouting in Morocco, where I was an educational leader within the Scouts Mohammadis. I participated in many training sessions organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which were intended at the time for educational leaders.» Rachida Mezyaoui Social action for the integration of workers and families Subsequently, Rachida joined the CISL union to help foreign workers, providing them with legal and social support to protect their professional and social rights. But the dream of completing her studies continued to haunt her. She eventually succeeded in obtaining a master's in family mediation in the city of Parma. «I then worked to obtain a recommendation and open a branch in Italy of the organization Hna Wahed for the defense of territorial integrity and development, which has many branches in Morocco and around the world», she recalls proudly. «We carry out several activities, including raising awareness of the national cause and Moroccan culture, helping Moroccan and Arab immigrants in general to solve the problems they face, in addition to supporting integration within Italian society», describes the activist, who still finds the desire to complete her studies and specialize in issues of migration and childhood. «The education of children by protecting their link with their identity from the country of origin was among the issues that personally concerned me, as well as most immigrant mothers. The phenomenon of removing minors from their families under the pretext of being subjected to psychological, physical, or economic violence by their relatives has been a driving force for me, first as a mother and then as a Moroccan woman», she confides to us. Rachida then decided to join the University of Padua to pursue her studies in a master's in «European Islam», then she enrolled in a master's in «religion, culture, and migration» at Mohammed V University of Rabat. «It is a specialized program oriented towards nationals from immigration, in partnership between the university and the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME). It was an opportunity for me to deepen research on the subject of migration and children, through the accumulation of 20 years of migratory experience», describes the researcher. As part of this training, Rachida dedicates her master's thesis to the «removal of minor children from Moroccan families in Italy – Emilia-Romagna region – a model of socio-anthropological approach». «This academic work has greatly helped me to understand the ins and outs of the phenomenon. I was motivated to complete this academic journey and join the doctoral cycle in the future, to continue scientific research on migration and children's issues worldwide, and not just in Italy». Rachida Mezyaoui Raising awareness of the balance between country of origin and host country Rachida believes that preserving Moroccan cultural identity is one of the fundamental means of protecting children against a certain alienation due to the loss of reference points. That is why she has worked to raise awareness and introduce the second generation to national cultural components, to strengthen the bonds of belonging to the family and society. In this same sense, the researcher and activist also works to help immigrant mothers develop educational approaches with their children. On her scale, she contributes to solving the problems of families at risk of having their children removed due to complaints of psychological or physical violence, while allowing them to establish a certain stability and cohesion.
