Call for abstracts for the New Prospects and Challenges for Science and Education in the MENA region - (Registration deadline is due)

Abstracts should be written in English using the form at: http://www.mena-research-education.com/Abstract-Submission.aspx. Abstratct text (300 words maximum) insert a blank line between paragraphs. Do not indent the first line of a new paragraph:

Please complete the abstract form below and submit it to the Conference Secretariat before December 15, 2011. 

Please complete also the form and submit it to the Conference Secretariat before October 25, 2011, at: http://www.mena-research-education.com/Registration.aspx. 

This conference to be held in Marrakech (Morocco) next 9-11 March 2012; addresses a very timely topic- new prospects for science and education in the MENA region in light of the recent developments in the Arab world. The purpose of this conference is three-fold:

- to discuss the MENA scientific research status, challenges and the new prospects resulting from the recent developments;

- to address some of the region’s strategic research priorities, namely energy, climate change and desertification, biotechnology and the role of mathematical sciences for the region’s development;

- to come up with concrete plans to boost further scientific cooperation between Germany, the MENA region and Mediterranean countries through the Alexander von Humboldt Mediterranean Network Initiative and the German-Arab World Academy of Young Scientists Forum.

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Conference Chair:

Abdelhadi Soudi, Humboldt Ambassador Scientist 
Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

Session Program chairs

- The AvH Med Net project, featuring, amongst others, the setting up of a first “wind engineering and wind energy association”

Claudio Borri, President of the Italian Alexander von Humboldt Alumni Association, Universita’ di Firenze, Italy

- Energy: challenges, Mediterranean solar plan, energy efficiency

Brahim Benhamou, Caddi Ayad University, Morocco 
Abdelaziz Mimet, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Morocco 
Louy Qoaider, enerMENA Manager, German Aerospace Center, Germany

- Climate change, Aridity, Drought and Desertification in the MENA region

Jauad El Kharraz, The Euro-Mediterranean Information System on The know-how in the Water sector 
Mandi Laila, Caddi Ayad University, Morocco
Olfa Mahjoub, INRGREF, Tunisia

-Biotechnology

Mustapha Barakate, Caddi Ayad University, Morocco 
Malika Abid and Mohamed ElAmrani, Mohammed I, Morocco

- Mathematical Sciences

Lahcen Maniar, Caddi Ayad University, Morocco 
Nazih Gadhi, Dhar Mehraz University, Morocco 
Abdelaziz Rhandi , University of Salerno, Italy

- German-Arab World Academy of Young Scientists Forum

Dr. Jauad El Kharraz, Secretary General of the Arab World Association of Young Scientists (ArabWAYS)
Dr. Olfa Mahjoub, President of ArabWAYS

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Preliminary Agenda

“New Prospects for Science and Education in the MENA region”

Marrakech, March 9-11, 2012

Organized by

Maghreb-Alexander von Humboldt Alumni Association

in collaboration with

The Arab World Academy of Young Scientists

The AvH Mediterranean Network

and

The German Embassy in Rabat

Day 1: (March 9, 2012)

Plenary Sessions

Keynote Speech 1: Scientific Research in the MENA region: Status, challenges and Perspectives

- Facts, figures and challenges

- Priority research issues & Strategic S&T fields

- New prospects resulting from the recent developments in the Arab World

Keynote Speech 2: MENA Higher Education Key Issues and best practices

- Entrepreneurship in Higher Education 

- Higher Education and S&T

- Best practices in the region

- MENA Higher Education and the Bologna Process

Concurrent session addressing some of the priority research issues in the MENA region 

- Climate change, Aridity, Drought and Desertification in the MENA region

Session Program chairs:

2 Session moderators: (Tunisia, Germany)

- Energy: challenges, Mediterranean solar plan, energy efficiency

Session Program chairs: Abdelaziz Mimet and Brahim Benhamou

2 Session moderators: (Algeria, Germany)

- Biotechnology

Session Program chairs: Mustapha Barakate, Malika Abid and Ahmed ElAmrani

2 Session moderators: (Jordan, Egypt)

- Mathematical Sciences 

Session Program chairs: Lahcen Maniar, Abdelaziz Rhandi and Nazih Gadhi

2 Session moderators: (Italy,Spain)

Session moderators:

Day 2 (March 10, 2012):

Plenary session: follow-up meetings of Germany-MENA/Mediterranean Research and Education Cooperation 

Morning:

Session 1: German-Arab Young Scientists Forum (Session chaired by Arab-World Academy of Young Scientists Steering Committee)

Afternoon :

Session 2:AvH Med Net Initiative (Session chaired by Prof. Claudio Borri, President of the Italian Alexander von Humboldt Alumni Association

Day 3 (March 11, 2012):

8h30-11

Plenary session: The role of funding agencies in promoting science and education in the MENA region in light of the recent developments 

&

Success stories of the international scientific research cooperation/linkages in the MENA region

11h00-11h20 Coffee break

11h20-12h30

Meeting of the Maghreb-AvH Humboldt Alumni Association

Afternoon

Cultural trip to the Ourika Valley (30 km south of Marrakech) and the seven waterfalls.

Conference Chair

- Abdelhadi Soudi, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

Conference co-chair

- Malika Abid, Mohammed I University, Oujda, Morocco.

Programme committee (to be confirmed) 

- Jauad El Kharraz (Secretary General), Arab-World Academy of Young Scientists & EMWIS/SEMIDE, France

- Laila Mandi, CNEREE-UCAM, Marrakech, Morocco

- Claudio Borri (President of the Italian Alexander von Humboldt Alumni,

Association, Universita’ di Firenze, Italy

- Lahcen Maniar, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Abdelaziz Mimet, Energy NCP, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan, Morocco

- Brahim Benhamou,Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Mustapha Barakate, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Ahmed El Amrani, Mohammed I University, Oujda, Morocco

- M’barek Benchanaa, ENCG-Marrakech, Morocco

- Olfa Mahjoub, ArabWAYS President & INRGREF Researcher, Tunisia

- Abdelaziz Rhandi, University of Salerno, Italy

- Peter Langer, University of Rostock, Germany.

- Mohamed Ellouze, vice-president of the Maghreb-AvH Alumni Association, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Tunisia

- Hadef Redjem, vice-president of the Maghreb-AvH Alumni Association, Larbi Ben M'Hidi Unversity, Algeria

- Ashraf Abadi, German University in Cairo, Egypt

- Lambis Baniotopoulos, Civil Engineering Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

- Valentin Mirceski, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Ss Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, fyr Macedonia

- Luis Herrera Mesa, Presidente de la Asociación Alexander von Humboldt de España, Universidad de Navarra, Spain

- Marwan Mousa, President of the Jordanian Club of Humboldt Fellows), Mutah Unversity, Jordan

- Arhrib Abdesslam, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Morocco.

- Majda Rahal Sekkal, Sidi bel abbes University, Algeria.

- Nazih Gadhi, Dhar Mehraz University, Morocco.

- Chouaib Benqlilou, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

- Mohamed Lahcini, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Abderrahmen Selmi, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Tunisia.

- Ahmed Mazzah, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, France.

- Lahkim Bennani, Dhar Mehraz University, Morocco.

- Nadjib Ferhat, Centre national de recherche préhistoriques anthropologiques et historiques, Algeria.

- Chatti Saber, INRAP, Technopole of Sidi Thabet; Tunisia

- Mohameed Bourrous, Centre d’Expertises Industrielles, France

- Nassr Chelouah, Abderrahmane Mira University, Bejaia, Algeria

- Abdelhadi Soudi, President of the Maghreb-AvH Alumni Association, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

Organizing committee (to be confirmed)

- Mohamed Lahcini, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Mustapha Barakate, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Lahcen Maniar, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Nazih Gadhi, Dhar Mehraz University, Morocco

- M’barek Benchanaa, ENCG-Marrakech, Morocco

- Malika Abid, Mohammed I University, Faculty of Sciences, Morocco

- Thami Akki, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

- Mouhssine Daoudi, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco

- Soufiane Aaziz, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Imad Fakhouri, Caddi Ayad University, Marrakech, Morocco

- Ahmed El Amrani, Mohammed I University, Morocco

- Abdelhadi Soudi, Ecole Nationale de l’Industrie Minérale, Morocco