Here, we propose an applied project where the foundations for a modern, effective genetic selection scheme in dromedary camels in Alge-ria are laid down through: (i) standardization of dairy/meat/fertility traits phenotyping protocols; (ii) evaluation and standardization of camel identification systems; (iii) implementation of standardized animal identification and phenotyping protocols in pilot farms, and (iv) establish-ment of a first genealogical, phenotypic and genotypic database for further valorization through detection of selection signatures, GWAS analysis, and, possibly, modelling of simple and robust embryonic design for genomic selection approaches. Among the expected impacts: increased milk/meat production, higher profitability of the camel sector, more structured and enforced breeders associations.

As the global community makes the transition from the millennium development goals to sustainable development goals, is turning its attention to the values of Earth Observation (EO) and geospatial information as critical development enablers. Geospatial data have become an essential fuel to boost digital economy and it is more timely than ever to realise that the geospatial industry is on the verge of something special: a data driven world where position is the common factor. EO/ geospatial aims to offer this essential move to create opportunities for the digital economy and this forms the basis for the topic of this proposal. This project concentrates on Region 3 (Arab state countries). Whilst Arab state HEIs have high gross tertiary enrollment rates they lack to create the appropriate value chain of job openings. It is essential to raise awareness among the students and professionals about the significance of EO/geospatial information, encourage gender equity in this direction and update the relevance of curricula programs outcomes to market needs. The vision of ERODITE is to enhance and promote learning, extension, outreach, activities at the partner HEIs through the creation of geospatially-integrated collaboration. The mission is to develop a plan to make the partner HEIs geospatially-integrated universities where EO/geospatial science, thinking, and visualization are broadly applied across disciplines and are supported through readily accessible and high capacity EO material, training and expertise. The objectives are to develop (i) educational network with Arab state HEIs that will introduce strategies for the development of innovative educational approach for effective EO/geospatial pathways and (ii) an open, collaborative learning environment (EO platform) that will allow access to various thematic and training pathways and create new ones adapted to user groups.

The EL@N project is a joint national project proposed in the line with the national priorities established under the Erasmus + projects. The consortium of this project consists of 6 language centers (CEILs) of the Algerian universities Tlemcen, Biskra, Bejaia, Guelma, Ouargla, and Oran. The geographical coverage of the six universities is fairly representative of the Algerian territory. The Program counties are represented by 4 European universities: Sapienza de Rome, Valencienne, Santiago de Compostela and Istanbul University. The general objective of EL@N is to promote the multilingualism and the intercultural dialog through the modernisation of the teaching practices of the CEILs. The introduction of a comprehensive digital environment for language education in the CEILs. It aims at setting up an e-Learning platform that allows the networking of CEILs and both the capitalization and sharing of digital resources required for modern, efficient and interactive language learning. In addition, EL@N aims to build local capacity and the acquisition of multiple skills necessary for the development and management of a digital platform.The EL@N project aims to respond primarily to the needs of the university community, students at all levels (LMD) and faculty members and to cope with the constraints related to learning foreign languages and related problems. EL@N aims to offer adapted and on line training to different target audiences to overcome the problems of distance and time (rural areas, heavy schedule of students and staff ...), and to train learners in accordance with the specific needs of the socio-economic world and the labor market.

In the MENA region the unemployment rate among HE graduates is among the highest in the world as a direct result of the mismatch between education outcomes and expectations of the labor market. With the fast evolving pattern of the market-needs as a result of revolutionary technologies such as Industry 4.0, AI, robotics and machine learning, a new shift in human resource requirements map is at hand leaving HEIs with an inevitable time-pressing challenge to adjust the learning processes to yield particular competencies that expand way beyond the technical knowledge that has been the focus for many decades. It is thus the aim of this project is to develop a generation of globally-exposed HE graduates, equipped with essential character, social and cognitive skills blended with academic competencies, with a higher degree of readiness for the fast-evolving community and job market, and who are capable to integrate effectively in multi-cultural, diverse eco-system. Hence, Competence-tailored Student Journey Map that blends academic and academic-complimentary competencies during the student lifetime is introduced. A pilot set of competence-tailored 35 short- and 10 long-term extracurricular activities & “quests” are designed and programmed into the LMS & SIS of partner HEIs, along with 35 courses (120 ECTS) in Engineering and ICT restructured to align with SDGs in competency-based format, targeting the full envisioned picture of the future “Global Citizen” possessing competencies that were clearly identified via an exhaustive gap analysis developed at the beginning of the project. A target of at least 60 students at each of the 7 partner HEIs in Egypt, Jordan and Algeria is planned. Student-Stakeholders Engagement Portal, where employers and students share their profiles and where both have open arena to engage in internships, summer jobs, capacity building programs is essential in the proposed integrative (academic/extracurricular/industry engagement) approach.

The InPROVE project (Initiation du PROcessus de Validation des acquis de l’Expérience par l’enseignement supérieur en Algérie) aims to develop and implement a framework for the assessment of prior work experience (non-formal learning) as the basis for a partial or full validation of a university diploma in Algeria. The InPROVE consortium consists of the Ministry of Higher Education, six Algerian universities, two partners representing the Algerian socio-economic community and six European partners.The main outputs of InPROVE include:- guidelines describing a management structure able to support a Validation of Prior Experience (VPE) application, together with their access portal,- a methodology for evaluating VPE applications,- 15 educational programmes described in terms of business skills blocks.In addition, the project foresees and supports the introduction of:- a network of fully trained VPE counsellors, able to inform and support efficiently the candidates- a network of teachers trained in skills assessment,- a network of teachers able to transcribe educational programmes in terms of business skills blocks,The final objective of InPROVE is to perform, on the 15 formatted educational programmes, the experimentation of the whole developed structure and methodology by offering VPE opportunities to real candidates.The expected impacts of the project are:- for the Ministry of Higher Education, examples of fully reusable good practices regarding VPE, currently recognized as a key priority in the context of the specificities of the Algerian society,- for the Algerian universities, the availability of fully trained staff able to support another way of delivering diplomas while strengthening continuing education,- for the socio-economic sector, new opportunities to enhance the career development of their staff.