17.2.2 – Does your university as a body initiate and participate in cross-sectoral dialogue about the SDGs, e.g. conferences involving government/NGOs?

SDG 17.2.2: Initiation and Participation in Cross-Sectoral Dialogue

The University of El Oued actively initiates and participates in high-level, cross-sectoral dialogues to address complex Sustainable Development Goals, leveraging its academic setting to convene diverse stakeholders. This is crucial for pooling resources and expertise from different societal sectors—government, academia, and civil society—to find comprehensive SDG-related solutions. The evidence below highlights the University’s role in hosting a major scientific forum on sustainable tourism, a key area for economic diversification and local resilience in the desert environment. This event demonstrates direct collaboration and shared strategic planning across the Ministry of Tourism, regional governance, and the academic sector.

Scientific Seminar of the International Desert Tourism Festival

On November 16, 2024, The University of El Oued hosted a major scientific seminar, “Desert Tourism in Algeria: International Dimension, Prospects, and Challenges,” as part of the International Desert Tourism Festival. The opening was overseen by the Inspector General of the Ministry of Tourism and Traditional Industries, Mr. Moussa Ben Thamer, representing the Minister, alongside the Inspector General of El Oued Province, the Director of The University of El Oued, Professor Omar Ferhati, and the Deputy President of the Provincial People’s Assembly.

In his opening speech, the University Director emphasized the region’s rich tourism potential and highlighted the State’s efforts and the President’s recommendations to support tourism as a vital economic resource for achieving sustainable development. Professor Ferhati clarified the University’s role as an essential partner in the “engine of sustainable development” across all sectors, including tourism. Further remarks from the Provincial Inspector General and the Ministry’s representative underscored the importance of desert tourism for the region. The seminar featured interventions centered on three main axes: the sector’s strategy for tourism development, mechanisms for promoting desert tourism, and the international dimension of desert tourism. This event serves as clear evidence of the University’s initiative in facilitating cross-sectoral dialogue on an SDG-related economic strategy.

Open Doors Event on Financial Education and Inclusion

In a powerful demonstration of cross-sectoral engagement with the private financial sector, The University of El Oued hosted an “Open Doors” event on November 12, 2024. This event was organized by the Professional Association of Banks and Financial Institutions (ABEF) and focused on Financial Education and Inclusion for the university community. Local representatives of banking agencies presented various banking services, with a particular emphasis on electronic payment. The primary goals were to increase awareness of the benefits of e-payment (including speed, security, and ease), encourage the use of diverse electronic payment methods such as bank cards and mobile applications, facilitate daily student life by enabling electronic purchases, and generally enhance the overall financial literacy of the university community. This partnership directly addresses the need for effective and sustainable banking inclusion, a crucial component of achieving economic growth and poverty reduction goals, through collaboration between academia and the financial private sector (ABEF and local banks).

22nd International Forum on the Development of Algerian-Tunisian Border Areas

On April 28, 2024, the Governor of El Oued Province, Mr. Saïd Akhrouf, inaugurated the 22nd International Forum on the Development of Algerian-Tunisian Border Areas at the University of El Oued. This major international event, which continued through April 29, was a direct exercise in cross-sectoral and cross-border cooperation, co-organized by the University’s Faculty of Law and Political Sciences and the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, alongside the Maghreb Consultative Council and several specialized research laboratories.

The attendance confirmed the strategic importance of the dialogue, including the President of the Provincial People’s Assembly, security and civil authorities, esteemed academic figures from both Tunisia and Algeria, and notably, the Mayors of the border strip municipalities. The Director of the University of El Oued, Professor Omar Ferhati, served as the Honorary President and delivered a welcoming address, emphasizing the deep historical brotherhood and partnership between Algeria and Tunisia. He highlighted the significance of the forum, stating that the objective was “to achieve added value and emerge with important practical recommendations that focus on the priorities of local development in accordance with the region’s specific characteristics,” thus aligning academic research directly with regional development priorities.

Following remarks by the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Meki Daraji, and a representative from a Tunisian University, the opening session commenced with a keynote address by Professor Saïd Mokaddam, President of the Maghreb Consultative Council, who spoke on the development and promotion of the border areas and their regional implications. This was followed by a practical intervention from a local level, with Mr. Omar Douiem, Mayor of Talab Al-Arabi Municipality, presenting on “The Reality and Prospects of Development in the Border Region of El Oued Province.” The proceedings continued with numerous research presentations across various scientific sessions, all focused on enhancing cooperation and consultation between the two nations to achieve essential economic and social development in the border regions. The University was also formally recognized during the opening, with the Director receiving an “Award of Successful Leadership” presented by the Governor and the President of the Provincial People’s Assembly. This forum stands as strong evidence of the University’s initiative in facilitating international and multi-sectoral dialogue for sustainable development.