Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Morocco have initiated discussions to collaborate on scientific research projects, in addition to launching students and faculty exchange programs, with an official MoU to be signed by mid-October.
This collaboration – expected to be one of the first formal ones between universities from Morocco and Israel – is slated to focus on sustainability issues: namely agriculture, water, energy, and ecological restoration.
The partnership is expected to receive backing by Israel's ICL and Morocco's OCP corporations.
BGU President Prof. Daniel Chamovitz said that "BGU and UM6P have much in common. From their desert settings to their focus on applied research and innovative teaching methods, the two universities are well suited to collaborate on projects in sustainability and climate change. Both universities are committed to thriving in the desert in a 'green' environment, and both look outward – focused on helping our regions, countries and the world."
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University President Hicham El Habti added: "We are confident that linking science and technology institutions from both countries will have a major impact on people at a local and regional level. UM6P and BGU consider scientific research a key component for development, especially on sustainability matters. That is why we have identified this topic as the first step for our collaboration."
BGU recently consolidated 50 years of research into the School of Sustainability and Climate Change and UM6P has made this subject a top priority of its research and education programs, within its Green Tech Institute launched last year and its School of Agriculture, Fertilizers and Environmental Sciences launched in 2015.
