Agadir – Princess Lalla Asmaa inaugurated Lalla Asmaa University today in Rabat, establishing a new institution that brings together hearing sciences, sign language, technology, and vocational training for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students.
The university aims to improve access to higher education and prepare students for careers in healthcare, interpretation, digital innovation, and other professional fields. The institution offers free training in hearing sciences and promotes an inclusive learning environment.
The university brings together four schools, 16 degree programs, and seven laboratories dedicated to research, clinical training, accessibility, and entrepreneurship.
The institution also plans to accommodate 3,500 students and open a boarding school in 2027 for students from across Morocco and abroad.
University builds international partnerships
The inauguration ceremony featured the signing of five cooperation agreements with international and Moroccan institutions to strengthen academic training, scientific research, and professional development.
The partners include IHU reConnect in Paris, the University of Montpellier, the Catholic University of Louvain, the Haute École Léonard de Vinci, Saint-Luc University Clinics in Belgium, Mohammed V University in Rabat, and Morocco’s public broadcaster SNRT.
The agreement with IHU reConnect will support research into hearing disorders, including the genetics of deafness and gene therapy. It will also facilitate cooperation in pediatric and adult audiology.
The partnership with the University of Montpellier will support training for hearing-aid and cochlear-implant specialists, while the Belgian institutions will cooperate with the university on clinical services involving implants and the training of audiologists.
The agreement with Mohammed V University will strengthen cooperation in education and research. Meanwhile, SNRT will support sign language interpreter training for broadcasting, the development of accessible programs, and opportunities for deaf students in audiovisual professions.
The foundation also announced a separate agreement signed several weeks earlier with an American academic institution in Chicago. The partnership will support the university’s master’s program and laboratory in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a field that focuses on understanding and improving behavior.
The cooperation will provide training for certified analysts, faculty exchanges, and student supervision.
