Algerian scientific expertise shines on an international level. Two project proposals to establish Unesco chairs spearheaded by national university institutions received a positive evaluation from experts of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), announced the Algerian National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, under the Ministry of National Education.
These concern projects submitted by Ahmed-Draia University of Adrar and the National Higher School of Public Works (ENSTP) of Algiers, within the framework of the UNITWIN/Unesco Chairs program. The first focuses on water sciences and traditional irrigation systems, while the second centers on resilience and smart monitoring within the construction sector in Africa.
In Adrar, the project is led by Professor Youssef Boutadara. Entitled “Water Sciences and Heritage Irrigation Systems (Foggara),” this chair focuses notably on the foggara, a traditional system for collecting and conveying water. This ancestral know-how holds particular importance in Saharan regions, where sustainable management of water resources represents a major challenge.
The second project is led by the National Higher School of Public Works of Algiers, under the direction of Professor Abdelwahid Lefkir. Named “Integrated Resilience and Intelligent Monitoring for Construction in Africa” (Irimca), this chair aims to advance scientific thinking around building resilience and emerging technologies for infrastructure monitoring.
These two initiatives cover distinct fields, but converge toward issues related to sustainable development. They combine, on one hand, the promotion of traditional knowledge regarding water management, and on the other, the search for innovative solutions to enhance the resilience and monitoring of construction works.
In its official statement, the Algerian National Commission for Education, Science and Culture welcomed this progress, considering it recognition of the scientific endeavor carried out within the concerned institutions. The Minister of National Education and President of the Commission, Mohamed Seghir Saadaoui, extended his congratulations to both scientific leaders and their teams, emphasizing their contribution to advancing research, innovation, and sustainable development.
This favorable assessment falls within the framework of cooperation between Algeria and Unesco, demonstrating the determination of national academic institutions to strengthen their presence within international scientific networks.