Moroccan officials and FISU leadership meet in Rabat

FISU President Leonz Eder and Secretary General and CEO Matthias Remund were welcomed in Rabat, Morocco this week to meet with representatives from Morocco’s government as Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, Mr. Azzedine El Midaoui, welcomed FISU leadership to the Moroccan capital.

Discussions centred on the opportunities and potential for collaboration between the Moroccan Ministry and FISU to continue the development and growth of university sport. This included a desire to increase Moroccan student-athlete participation in international competitions while also enhancing sports infrastructure within universities.

The meeting focused more specifically on boosting sport practice and participation for students on their respective campuses while also promoting the organisation of major sporting events. Hosting additional events in Morocco, be them FISU sports or academic events, was discussed to provide student-athletes additional opportunities to compete at the highest level while also raising the profile of university sports in the region. These efforts additionally aim to promote the growth of professions within sport and developing their place within higher education.

This gathering of leadership of both FISU and the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation comes on the heels of Rabat having hosted FISU’s Executive Committee meeting 27-28 September 2024 – the first official meeting hosted by FISU on the African continent. President Eder said at that time, “FISU is a global organisation and in this light, it is really important that we organise events on all continents.” A precursor, perhaps, to more events and growth in university sport in Morocco and Africa.