Ascolta

A recent institutional visit was carried out by a delegation from the Department of Economic and Business Sciences of the University of Palermo to several Moroccan universities, in particular Hassan II University of Casablanca and Mohammed V University of Rabat.

The delegation included Prof. Stefano De Cantis, Rector’s Delegate for Internationalization Support, and Prof. Enzo Scannella, Coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Business Administration (L-18) and the Master’s Degree in Economic and Business Sciences (LM-77). Prof. Fabio Mazzola, Vice Rector for Education and Internationalization, also took part in some of the meetings online.

Among others, participants in the meetings included Prof. Mustapha Lkhider, Vice President of the International Cooperation and Partnership Division at Hassan II University of Casablanca (H2UC), and Prof. Ismail Kassou, Full Professor and Vice President in charge of Research, Innovation and Partnership at Mohammed V University of Rabat (UM5R).

Both Moroccan universities warmly welcomed the delegation from the University of Palermo, showing great interest and attention. The meetings provided an important opportunity for dialogue and cooperation in several areas, particularly:

• the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a specific agreement concerning PhD student exchanges;
• the promotion of joint research projects between laboratories of the participating universities;
• the strengthening of academic mobility within international programs.

The delegation also engaged with the staff of the International Relations Office (IRO) to explore methodologies and procedures related to mobility, sharing experiences and best practices in internationalization and inter-university agreements.

This visit took place within the framework of the MARE Project – Mediterranean Alliance for Research and Education, a network that brings together 11 Italian universities and a wide consortium of Southern Mediterranean universities, including both Moroccan institutions visited. Funded through the PNRR Program (M4 C1 INV.3.4 SUB-INV.T4 – TNE D.D. No. 167, 03/10/2023), the MARE project fosters collaboration between Italian and non-EU universities in the Mediterranean area, promoting knowledge exchange as a driver of socio-economic and cultural development. Coordinated by the University of Palermo, the project aims to enhance internationalization processes and build a shared educational system, offering high-quality academic opportunities to students from non-EU Mediterranean countries.

As a genuine lever for academic cooperation, this alliance represents a powerful instrument for the dissemination of education across the Mediterranean, while acting as a catalyst for economic, social, and intercultural development.

Both Moroccan universities are also involved in Work Package 7 (WP7) of the MARE project, which focuses on the theme of sustainable tourism.

A strong multidisciplinary interest in sustainability, and particularly in the sustainability of tourism destinations, was extensively discussed among representatives of the participating universities. The discussions aimed to contribute to the preparation of the Training Week on Sustainable Tourism, scheduled to take place in Palermo from 3 to 7 November 2025. The event will bring together over 20 international scholars from eight universities in the Southern Mediterranean (Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia) and from some U.S. universities, providing an important opportunity for academic dialogue and the exchange of best practices in responsible tourism and sustainable development.

 

For further information, see also:

https://www.facebook.com/profile/100057381972418/search/?q=palermo

https://www.facebook.com/share/1ZqrbyCQBX/

https://www.instagram.com/hassan2university?igsh=MTV6ZTlxemV6a2tyMw==