Moroccan Higher Education System Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov 20141

 Morocco is a constitutional monarchy led by King Mohammad VI, who succeeded his father, King Hassan II, in  The Arab spring led to a new constitution in 2011, with more power to parliament  Morocco’s first constitution was adopted in March It has been revised in 1970, 1972, 1992,, in September 1996 and, most recently in MOROCCO PROFILE Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov 20142

 Capital: Rabat.  Independence: Morocco achieved independence from France on March 2,  Reign of Muhammad VI: In July 1999, King Hassan died and was succeeded by his son Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed, who assumed the title of Mohammed VI Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov 20143

 Morocco is located in the northwestern corner of Africa  across the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain.  Morocco’s coastline along the Northern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea measures 1,835 kilometers. Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov 20144

 Population: As of mid-2011, Morocco had an estimated total population of 32 million.  The population is concentrated in the northwestern part of the country, west of the Atlas Mountains.  Some 58 percent of the population lives in cities. Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov 20145

 Arabic is the official language.  Berber dialects also are spoken and increasingly used as a language of instruction in schools.  French is often the language of business, government, and diplomacy and is taught in the schools.  Spanish is spoken in the northern part of the country. Languages Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov 20146

 Islam is the official religion of Morocco. Muslims constitute 99 percent of the population; about 90 percent of Muslims adhere to Sunni Islam.  The population also includes very small numbers of Christians and Jews, who are able to worship without restriction. Religion Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov 20147

 In 2011 Morocco’s GDP was US$ 100 billion and per capita income was US$5000.  Real GDP growth of 3.7 percent. Economic output is divided among sectors as follows:  agriculture, 16.7 percent;  industry, 29.7 percent; and  services, 53.6 percent. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov 20148

 Morocco’s agricultural sector, including forestry and fishing, constituted 16.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) but employed 40 percent of the workforce in  The agricultural sector is regarded as volatile, because of its vulnerability to inconsistent rainfall among other factors, and has been contracting in recent years. Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov 20149

 Mining and Minerals: Morocco has two-thirds of the world’s phosphate reserves and is the world’s top exporter of phosphate rock.  The worst performing manufacturing segment was textiles, which has experienced no growth since 1994, reflecting competition from Asian countries and a relatively strong domestic currency  Services: Services accounted for 53.6 percent of the economy and employed 45 percent of the workforce. Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 Tourism is Morocco’s leading source of foreign exchange. Morocco received 8 million foreign tourists, with the largest contingents coming from France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy, in that order.  Labor: The labor force was estimated to exceed 12 million. The distribution of the workforce in 2004 was as follows: 45 percent in services, 40 percent in agriculture, and 15 percent in industry. In 2004 Morocco’s unemployment rate was 10.8 percent, Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 Morocco’s economy is gradually becoming more integrated into the international economic system.  On January 1, 2006, a comprehensive bilateral free- trade agreement between Morocco and the United States went into effect.  In December 1999, Morocco entered into a free-trade agreement for industrial goods with the European Union (EU) and is participating in a free-trade zone with the EU by 2012 Foreign Economic Relations: Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 The education system includes nine years of free and compulsory education, but attendance rates are low, especially among girls.  Higher education is offered in 15 public universities, which had 350,000 enrolled students in 2011, and 5 private universities, among them an American-style, English-language institution with about 1,000 students. Education Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 1/ One is the autonomous system for the training of future executives (grandes écoles) which fall under the responsibility of the relevant specialised ministries  2/ and the other is the university system, for which the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Executive Training and Scientific Research is responsible.  The private higher education sector has been growing rapidly in recent years. The public system of higher education comprises two strands. Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

Private institutions of higher education currently cater for 9 % of training needs, but they will eventually be required to cover 20 %. Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 Morocco carried out its university reforms in September  The system of Doctorate, Master and doctoral degrees now prevails throughout the university structure except at the English- speaking University of Al Akhawayn in Ifrane, which maintains a system of four- year Bachelor courses and Master degrees. Types of tertiary education Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 Bachelor cycle: Courses leading to the Bachelor degree last for six semesters after the final school exam, the baccalauréat,  Master cycle: This cycle lasts for four semesters after the award of the Doctorate degree in basic or applied disciplines. the system of higher education is divided into three cycles: Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 Doctoral cycle: This cycle lasts for three years following the award of the Master degree, the specialized Master degree  The three-year period may be extended in exceptional cases by one year or by a maximum of two years. Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 Statistics for the academic year 2009/2010 show a total of 342 institutions of higher education, of which 150 were public and 192 private.  These institutions had a total of students, distributed as follows: in the public institutions, and , i.e % of the total, receiving private higher education. Some data Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

The Ministry of Higher Education formulates and implements government policy on university education and scientific research. Responsablities Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 The access to public higher education in Morocco is entirely free of charge.  The state budget provides the institutions’ investment budgets as well as their operating budgets.  Financing is based on the number of students in each institution.  Institutions with restricted access, however, receive more per capita funding than those with unrestricted access. Financing Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 The system for the assessment and certification of Moroccan students is a modular system.  The modular system is very close to the model used in the Bologna framework.  Nevertheless, the step from the modular system to the European credit transfer and accumulation system (ECTS) depends on certain conditions that have not yet been fulfilled. Assessment, progression, certification and degree Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 In institutional terms, the system of scientific research in Morocco comprises six research institutes. 982 accredited research units and 49 centers of postgraduate studies.  Morocco devotes 0.7% of its budget to scientific research, the bulk of which is used for the benefit of ‘hard’ science.  Only 7 % of the budget is spent on research in the humanities and social science. Research activities Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 In the realm of international cooperation, it is pertinent to recall the role of France and its importance in terms of program implementation.  More than half of Morocco’s bilateral cooperation programs have been concluded with France.  Its second partner is Spain, followed by a group of countries with which a lesser degree of cooperation, comprising Germany, Italy, Belgium and Portugal. International cooperation Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 Small structure : 5 people  Role :  To facilitate the link between Moroccan Universities and Partner countries’ Universities as well as with EU Universities  To Inform assist potential applicants  To organize some trainings for colleagues who intend to submit projects Erasmus National Office (NEO) Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 The NEO could, when necessary, propose Universities to be involved in projects from both sides of the Mediterranean shore.   Participate to the assessment of projects submitted in cooperation with EU Delegation in Morocco and with Moroccan Higher Education Ministry.  Last but not least, NEO uses to monitor funded projects during their life. Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 Every year, NEO organizes an info-day with regard to the year call.  This EID witnesses the attendance of Presidents of Universities as well as Deans, professors, some administrative ministry and universities staff.   The day is open by the Minister or the GS of the Ministry, EACEA representatives, EU Delegation. Erasmus + Information Day Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 The Next Moroccan Erasmus +Information Day will be on : Thursday 13 Novembre 2014 You are welcome for this very important event Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov

 Fouad M. Ammor  Coordonnateur national du Programme Erasmus +   Tel :  Adresse: Résidence Waha, immeuble A12, apt 16,  Nahda 1, Rabat (Maroc)   Thank you for your attention Erasmus + Info Day Palestine 5 nov