The work of the general congress of the Union of Arab Universities in its 55th session started on Saturday at the Faculty of Medicine in Sousse. More than 150 university presidents from different Arab countries as well as higher education and scientific research officials are participating in this event. Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Moncef Boukthir, stressed on this occasion that Tunisia will spare no effort to consolidate the specialised Arab organisations and unions including the Union of Arab Universities. Boukthir evoked the challenges encountered by the Arab countries including the migration of skills, affirming the imperative to promote an adequate environment in Tunisia and in the Arab world. He recalled in this regard that 78% of all migrants who left the country in recent years are university graduates. Boukthir also affirmed the importance of ensuring good governance of the scientific research sector in order to develop this field, benefit from the results and achieve added value. The president of the University of Sousse, Lotfi Belgacem, told TAP that Tunisia is hosting this important conference for the first time since the creation of the Union of Arab Universities. It constitutes, he said, an opportunity for cooperation between Arab universities to strengthen the quality of higher education and to benefit from the experiences of Arab and international universities.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP)