HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
The current situation of the Faculty of Languages and Arts in Ait Melloul has sparked a wide debate among those interested in university affairs, after it moved, according to observers, from a space that was relied upon to be a center for cultural and artistic radiance, to an institution suffering from a decline in academic activity and scientific activities.
The opening of the college had brought great hopes, given the specificity of its paths and its integration with the cultural and artistic needs of the region, where it witnessed in its early years the organization of meetings, seminars and festivals in the fields of literature, theater and cinema, and contributed to creating a dynamic that was met with interaction from students and professors alike. However, a number of those following university affairs at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir believe that this dynamism has witnessed a noticeable decline in recent years, manifested in the limited academic activities and the weak openness to the external environment, in addition to the absence of initiatives that would enhance scientific cooperation and develop the pedagogical offer in line with the identity of the college and its specializations. In this context, university sources indicate the registration of the transfer of a number of professors to other university institutions, including former officials, which these followers link to the absence of a clear vision for the development of the institution and the improvement of academic working conditions within it. Some actors also raise questions about the way the college is managed by its dean, especially with regard to the creation of new formations and the investment of available energies, stressing that the current stage requires a participatory approach that restores the consideration of the scientific and cultural role of the institution within the university and the region. This discussion comes at a time when university circles are discussing the possibility of the current dean running for a new term despite his failure in management, which those interested consider an opportunity for a comprehensive evaluation of the previous experience, and to open a calm and responsible discussion about the future of the college, in order to ensure the renewal of the academic spirit and enhance its scientific and cultural radiance. The bet remains, according to a number of observers, is to return the Faculty of Languages and Arts to its natural path as a university institution that produces knowledge and is open to its environment, in a way that serves students and the university and enhances the position of higher education in the region.
