• Mauritania has opened talks with Moroccan institutions to establish a national architecture school in Nouakchott.
• The project builds on existing academic cooperation with Morocco and aims to align training with labor market needs.
• The Mauritanian government formally approved the creation of a national architecture school in October 2025.

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania has initiated discussions with Moroccan officials to lay the groundwork for a new architecture school in Nouakchott. According to a statement from the University of Nouakchott relayed by the local press, videoconference talks brought together university president Ali Mohamed Salem El Boukhary and Abdelhadi Ibnyahya, director of the National School of Architecture (ENA) in Rabat, to examine potential mechanisms for cooperation in training. The discussions also included the president of the Mauritanian Order of Architects, signaling a desire to align the future program with national academic and professional needs.

The project currently focuses on defining a solid partnership framework, although authorities have not yet disclosed operational details. The initiative aims to leverage Morocco’s advanced and diversified experience in architectural education to structure a curriculum tailored to Mauritania. The University of Nouakchott already relies on an existing partnership agreement with Mohammed V University of Rabat, which covers scientific research, technical support, and exchanges of professors and researchers, and provides a potential foundation for this program.

The initiative fits into a broader strategy to strengthen local skills as demand for urban planning, land development, and construction rises alongside rapid urban growth in Mauritania. The project seeks to design a program aligned with the country’s “professional and academic needs.” In this context, the government adopted a decree in October 2025 to establish the National School of Architecture within the University of Nouakchott, creating a dedicated environment for training and research in architecture and sustainable urban planning.

For the 2025–2026 academic year, the ENA in Rabat welcomed its new cohort following the national entrance examination held in July 2025, which serves as the primary gateway to this professional training. The school continues to pursue scientific initiatives that involve students and faculty in conferences and research projects focused on sustainable architecture and contemporary urban challenges, thereby strengthening its role in pedagogical and professional innovation.

Mohammed V University of Rabat, which has long collaborated with the ENA through joint research projects and mixed academic teams, reinforces this academic momentum through its bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. These programs consolidate Morocco’s position as a regional reference in architectural education.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de BERRY QUENUM