• Algeria–Tunisia border universities forum opens in Souk Ahras

• Event focuses on digital higher education, innovation, competitiveness

• Forum aims to boost cross-border research and academic cooperation

The seventh forum bringing together Algerian and Tunisian border universities (5+5) opened on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Mohamed-Chérif Messaâdia University in Souk Ahras. Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Kamel Baddari attended the event alongside his Tunisian counterpart, Mondher Belaid.

The forum brings together university rectors, researchers and senior institutional officials. It aims to strengthen cooperation among border universities in order to support innovation and competitiveness.

This year’s edition focuses on the theme “Higher Education in the Digital Age: Knowledge, Innovation and Economic Competitiveness,” with discussions centered on digital transformation, scientific innovation and fostering entrepreneurship.

The two-day program includes scientific sessions, workshops and innovation exhibitions. It also features project presentations by students and researchers in key fields such as science, technology and modern teaching platforms. Specific sessions address distance learning, digital teaching tools and university-based incubation.

The initiative reflects efforts by Algeria and Tunisia to build a stronger cross-border university network. On the Algerian side, participating institutions include the universities of Tébessa, El Tarf, El Oued, Annaba and Souk Ahras. On the Tunisian side, the forum involves the universities of Gafsa, Kairouan, Sfax, Jendouba and Gabès.

Organizers say the forum seeks to strengthen scientific integration, stimulate joint research and promote academic programs aligned with the knowledge economy.

The forum comes as higher education systems face mounting pressure to modernize and adapt to rapid changes in labor markets and digital technologies.

In Tunisia, the 2026 budget for the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is set at 2.37 billion dinars, or about $811 million. Authorities present the funding as a key tool to support reforms aimed at aligning training with market needs and improving graduate employability.

Challenges persist, however, as institutions struggle to adapt curricula. Data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS), cited by local media outlet Tunisie Numérique, show that the unemployment rate among higher education graduates reached 24.9% in the third quarter of 2025.

In Algeria, universities face structural constraints despite the rapid expansion of the higher education system and ongoing reforms under the License-Master-Doctorate (LMD) framework. A July 2025 academic study shared on ResearchGate shows that many graduates continue to face difficulties entering the labor market, largely due to a mismatch between training programs and economic needs.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou