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Agadir – Higher Education Minister Azzedine El Midaoui has announced that the first phase of Morocco’s university map reform project will include the creation of 26 new higher education institutions.
Speaking on Tuesday before the House of Councillors, El Midaoui said the establishment of the new institutions is currently in the final stages of approval.
The minister explained that university councils had already convened to propose the restructuring and distribution of institutions under the project.
The first batch submitted to the National Coordination Committee resulted in the creation of 26 institutions, while a second phase is expected to add 23 more, he detailed.
This reform is part of Morocco’s broader efforts to reorganize and expand higher education infrastructure in line with growing student demand and regional development priorities.
El Midaoui said the first phase is primarily aimed at reducing overcrowding in universities while preserving existing academic structures for students. Future stages of the project will introduce a “new generation” of institutions designed to respond to local, regional, and national labor market needs, as well as emerging international professions, he added.
The university map project is based on the provisions of Framework Law 51.17 and the higher education law, particularly articles related to strategic planning and institutional governance in the sector.
According to El Midaoui, the project seeks to strengthen territorial equity in access to higher education while anticipating future developments in scientific research and academic training.
As part of the initiative, the ministry has begun examining the restructuring of Ibn Zohr University, one of Morocco’s largest public universities.
El Midaoui said the university currently covers nearly 55% of Morocco’s territory and hosts approximately 170,000 students.
Under the proposed reform, Ibn Zohr University would be divided into five separate universities, including institutions in Dakhla, Laayoune, and Guelmim, alongside two universities in Ait Melloul and Agadir.
The proposal also includes attaching Ouarzazate to its corresponding administrative region within the higher education system.
Beyond academic restructuring, El Midaoui said the reform package includes governance measures and social support programs for students, covering housing, transportation, catering, and financing.
