1.3.2 – Does your university as a body have graduation/completion targets for students who fall into the bottom 20% of household income group (or a more tightly defined target) in the country? (domestic)

SDG 1.3.2: Graduation and Completion Targets for Students from Low-Income Groups (Domestic)

The University of El Oued ensures that its comprehensive social support for financially disadvantaged students translates directly into high-quality graduation and completion rates. Recognizing that financial barriers often coincide with a lack of resources for high-value completion, the University implements a targeted institutional strategy focused on providing intensive support and infrastructure to ensure academic excellence and market readiness for all students, particularly those from the bottom income quintiles.
Institutionalized Support for High-Value Thesis Completion and Employability
The University’s commitment to supporting high-value completion is institutionalized through specialized training aligned with the national innovation mandate and career readiness, ensuring all students, particularly those from the bottom quintiles, have access to necessary career-building resources and demonstrable success.
1. Quantified Graduation Success and External Funding (Economic Empowerment): The efficacy of the innovation ecosystem is confirmed by successful, measurable outcomes. On November 25, 2024, the University Director, Professor Omar Ferhati, presided over a ceremony honoring students with innovative projects, confirming the tangible results of the thesis support program:

 

    • A total of 45 innovative projects, involving 99 students, successfully obtained the “Startup Enterprise Thesis Certificate” (under Decree 1275).
    • Crucially, 10 of these resulting micro-enterprises were approved for funding by the National Agency for Entrepreneurship Support and Development (ANADE). This external validation proves that the University’s graduation mechanism successfully translates academic completion into real-world economic empowerment.
  1. Successful High-Value Thesis Defense (Academic Completion): The high standard of academic completion was demonstrated on June 11, 2024, when the University Director opened the defense of joint graduation theses under the Ministerial Decree No. 1275 (“Startup Enterprise/Patent Certificate”). The rigorous defense process involved committees integrated with faculty from multiple colleges and representatives from the Economic Partner. The students concluded the defense by being awarded full marks and the distinction of “Excellence,” confirming that the institutional support leads to high-quality academic outcomes that meet professional standards.

 

 

  1. Continuous Employability and Career Training: To ensure all graduates secure employment, the University launched the Job Search Club (CRE) and hosted continuous Job Search Information Days (TRE), starting on November 12, 2024, in partnership with the National Employment Agency (ANEM). This initiative provides structured, high-level training in essential professional skills (CV writing, interview techniques, and self-assessment), ensuring that graduates are fully prepared for the labor market.

 

  1. Intensive Training for Project Completion: The University provides specialized knowledge through activities such as the Second Training Course for Micro-Project Holders. This intensive, 15-day continuous course equips entrepreneurial students with the complex business management skills needed to successfully establish, manage, and complete their high-value final projects (Startup/Patent theses).

 

By providing specialized training, resources, and a validated pathway to external funding, the University effectively targets high retention and excellence among its entire student population, ensuring successful and high-quality completion regardless of socioeconomic status.