10 Mediterranean states reaffirm links, adopt HE framework

The 10 countries of the Western Mediterranean (5+5 Dialogue) have adopted a higher education and scientific research framework aimed at fostering integration by nurturing an innovative, inclusive and resilient Western Mediterranean Region, with particular emphasis on science diplomacy for youth empowerment and sustainable development.

The framework was outlined in a declaration endorsed at the close of the sixth conference of ministers of scientific research, innovation, and higher education of the 5+5 Dialogue states, held in the Portuguese capital Lisbon on 6 December.

Organised under the presidency of Portugal and the co-presidency of Mauritania, the conference was held under the theme “Fostering integration for an innovative, inclusive, and resilient Western Mediterranean Region and science diplomacy for youth empowerment and sustainable development”.

Mauritanian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Yacoub Ould Moine said the regularity of the meeting confirms a “commitment to remain in close contact” and a “determination to activate all available cooperation mechanisms in the fields of higher education, scientific research, and innovation”.

Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research, and Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti commended Portugal for its leadership during the presidency of the 5+5 Dialogue and extended Malta's full support to Libya as it assumes the presidency for the 2024-2026 term, according to local news reports.

Tanti reaffirmed Malta’s commitment to advancing shared priorities, particularly in strengthening Mediterranean research networks, and supporting partnerships that address the region's unique challenges.

Moroccan Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation Azzedine El Midaoui described the Lisbon declaration as “a further milestone in our shared ambition to strengthen cooperation in the fields of higher education, scientific research and innovation”, according to news reports.

He added: “It reflects our shared willingness to mobilise our respective countries’ skills and to direct our actions towards shared objectives, with a view to facilitating the mobility of researchers, promoting distance learning, encouraging entrepreneurs, strengthening academic networks and facilitating technology transfer, while guaranteeing wider access to scientific infrastructure.”

5+5 Dialogue

The 10 countries are known as member states of the 5+5 Dialogue initiative: A sub-regional forum for dialogue. The Maghreb countries involved are Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia, and the Western Mediterranean nations are France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain.

Dialogue 5 + 5 is a multilateral forum established in Rome since 1990 to strengthen cooperation between the countries of the region in areas of common interest such as science, technology, innovation and higher education.

The declaration emphasises a common determination to strengthen collaboration to reinforce the potential of youth and women, and inclusive access to research, innovation and higher education as fundamental to the development and prosperity in the Mediterranean Region.

The declaration calls for fostering linkages in the region, fully exploiting available tools, promoting a level-playing field in researchers' career, skills, and mobility, supporting capacity building, coordination, and joint actions, including in relation to innovation and employability of Mediterranean students, graduates and researchers.

The declaration also calls for support for cooperation between institutions of the 5+5 Dialogue member countries, including infrastructure projects such as the setting up of centres of excellence aimed in part at raising competitiveness and entrepreneurship.

It also encourages the development of collaborative Western Mediterranean networks, under the new funding programmes of the European Commission (2021-2027), to submit common proposals to build capacities for enhanced Western Mediterranean collaboration for research and innovation.

It also calls upon the 5+5 Dialogue member countries, networks, and expert groups to deploy science diplomacy more structurally and strategically by connecting science diplomacy scholars and practitioners across the region as a lever for building trust across the region and tackling common challenges through joint actions.

The declaration highlights the importance of establishing new and strengthening existing bilateral and multilateral research and innovation missions and partnerships to deliver effective solutions to green, digital, health, social, and innovation challenges in the Mediterranean via arrangements between the 5+5 Dialogue member countries to coordinate their independent investments in key fields or through partnerships providing for the pooling of resources in joint initiatives.

The declaration calls for a commitment towards the growth of the Euro-Mediterranean Hub for Research and Innovation, serving as a one-stop shop for information on relevant funding opportunities and events, along with support for PRIMA, the EU programme for Research and Innovation solutions in the Mediterranean region, as a platform attracting a critical mass of key actors and funds.

The declaration highlights the collaborative opportunities offered by European partnerships in strategic research and innovation areas for the Mediterranean, such as sustainable water and sustainable food systems, pandemic preparedness, clean energy transition, urban transition initiatives, among others.

The declaration also emphasises the importance of promoting international mobility for researchers within the Western Mediterranean region and beyond.

The ministers approved the Work Plan 2024-2026 which outlined initiatives such as: the Portugal and Tunisia-led network of higher education institutions within the 5+5 Dialogue; the France, Mauritania, Morocco, and Spain-led initiative for quality assurance and blended learning; the Italy-led initiative on enhancing capacities and developing skills for the sustainable blue economy in the Euro-Mediterranean region; the Algeria, Spain, and Tunisia-led initiative on enhancing research driven spin-offs and start-ups; and the Portugal and Morocco-led initiative for strengthening institutional capacity for research.

In addition, the plan includes the Italy and Malta-led initiative on supporting Western Mediterranean partnerships, consortia, and initiatives through European and international programme funding related to research, innovation, and higher education.

Benefits of collaboration

Asked to comment on the significance of the Dialogue framework and plan, Professor Ellen Hazelkorn, joint managing partner at BH Associates education consultants, told University World News: “The lessons of history show us that the best response to international challenges is international collaboration.

“In this context, the Western Mediterranean (5+5 Dialogue) on higher education and scientific research framework is especially timely given tensions globally and threats to multilateralism.

“The Lisbon declaration and the work plan is in line with the UNESCO Global education roadmap for sustainable development to 2030 (2020) and the New Social Contract for Education (2021).”

Hazelkorn noted: “The latter speaks specifically to the importance of a renewed commitment to global collaboration in support of education as a common good, premised on more just and equitable cooperation among state and non-state actors.

“It would, therefore, be important that similar weight is given to mutual recognition of qualifications. This is a core principle of the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications and essential to fostering trust, equity, integrity, and true partnership.”

Enhancing capacity to meet SDGs

Professor Mohamed Hassan, former president of the World Academy of Sciences in Italy, told University World News the declaration served as an “excellent example of North-South diplomacy and collaboration in strengthening research, innovation, and higher education capacities to achieve the SDGs.

“A crucial instrument highlighted in the declaration to foster such collaboration is the establishment of centres of excellence”.

Hassan stated: “In my view, these centres should primarily be established within universities in the Maghreb countries to attract young talent and link research and education, particularly in areas critical to sustainable development.

Focus should be given to frontier and transformative fields, such as artificial intelligence and digital technologies, biotechnologies, renewable energy technologies, and their applications to the SDGs.

“Additionally, I propose enhancing the declaration by establishing a network of Academies of Science across the 10 countries.”

Hassan said that such a network would provide independent, collaborative scientific advice on pressing issues related to the application of science and innovation to the SDGs.

Monitoring and assessment

Libyan Professor Ahmed Attia, head of the Department of Consultation and Research in the Faculty of Medical Technology at the University of Tripoli, told University World News that Libyan leadership for the 10 Western Mediterranean countries over the next two years should focus on “enhancing ‘twinning’ partnerships, fellowship programmes, and research and scientific visits among universities and research bodies, in a way that spreads scientific culture in society, advances research, development and innovation, serves common goals, and works to achieve sustainable development”.

Attia also called for the establishment of databases for academic communities to enhance the transfer of educational best practice, scientific research experiences, and knowledge and the promotion of joint research projects.

“Above all, Libya must set up a monitoring system for the progress of the initiatives included in the adopted two-year work plan along with assessment mechanisms for proposing modifications for efficient management and directing initiatives towards the desirable outcomes,” Attia said.

Challenges

Dr Abdennasser Naji, a former adviser to the minister of higher education and president of the Amaquen Institute, an education think tank in Morocco, told University World News the Lisbon declaration and the work plan were significant for several reasons, such as strengthening North-South cooperation, leading to greater knowledge exchange, encouraging innovation to face global challenges, and building a resilient Western Mediterranean region.

“However, there are a few areas that could be further emphasised in the declaration, such as the sustainability of the projects in favour of development in the South and equal access to resources and opportunities, especially in digital technologies and AI,” Naji said.

“Implementing the declaration may face several challenges, mainly around the necessary resources to implement the action plan, the political engagement of all member countries, and the need for more coordination between member countries in the South.

“To address these challenges, strategies could be considered in the fields of funding, technical support, political coordination, capacity building, and exchange of best practices,” Naji said.

Moroccan Professor Abdul Benahnia, an academic affairs and business development manager of the 3B Golden Gate E-learning platform, told University World News it was “high time” that countries, such as the Mediterranean neighbours, think and plan together for the benefit of future generations.

“The roadmap is a vital tool for SDGs that would find and force solutions, [offering] many career and job opportunities for the youth of those countries,” Benahnia said.

The next ministerial conference will be held in 2026 in Libya, organised by Libya as president and co-chaired by Portugal.