Tataouine: The Tataouine Youth Vision Association on Wednesday launched the “Yes Tataouine” project, part of the SWAFY programme financed by the European Union through the National Agency for the Promotion of Scientific Research and in partnership with several regional administrations (the Delegation for Education, the Delegation for Youth and Sport, the Higher Institute of Technological Studies and the region’s civil society components).
The aim of the project is to motivate young people and children in Tataouine to be more innovative and creative in various fields of economic development, to promote entrepreneurship and employment, and to strengthen the scientific capacities and skills of the region, said Director General of the National Agency for the Promotion of Scientific Research, Chadli Abdelli.
He added that the project involves different stages of youth, from primary school students to university graduates.
“Tunisia is rich in scientific expertise, ranking tenth out of 132 countries in the world
in terms of scientific production in 2023, but this has not benefited the national economic and social environment, so the agency aims to bring scientific research closer to this vast and rich environment in our country,” Abdelli said.
According to Rajeh Khemiri, the European Commission’s project manager in Tunisia, the European Union has allocated pound 9.5 million to this project, which covers all the country’s governorates and was launched Wednesday, in Tataouine.
It is also preparing to launch another environmental project worth around pound 11 million, he added, stressing the importance of this project, which deals with robotics and artificial intelligence.
Mabrouka Atri, head of the “Yes Tataouine” project, said the project aims to involve 96 students in the eight communes of the governorate, 48 young people from the four youth hostels, 20 students active in the robotics club at the Higher Institute of Technological Studies and 200 visitors to the City of Science. It will also enable 400 students to
discover the technological life of the university and involve 300 participants in scientific youth workshops, in addition to 100 children who will take part in the robotics competitions that the project will organise every year.
The participants of this information day recommended that more attention be paid to the disadvantaged rural areas and to the realisation of their children’s dreams in this field, investing in intelligence and training as many components as possible to ensure the continuity of this promising scientific option.
Since last November, the Regional Delegation for Education has set up around 50 robotics clubs in primary and secondary schools and institutes, funded by two oil companies operating in the region’s desert.
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Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse