University Mohammed VI Polytechnic
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Fadwa
BALADI Sustainable Developpement Manager Sustainable Developpement |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
1) COY 16 Youth Consultative Committee of UM6P
Description: Mohammed VI Polytechnic University has selected members of its youth community (students, staff, post doc, researchers, professors…etc.) in addition to the Rhamna Region youth communities to have a youth consultative committee to write the COY16 Youth statement of the University. This committee debated and discussed the emerging issues and youth commitments related to Climate change, Clean Energy, Sustainable cities and communities, Eco-mobility, Social inclusion, and gender equality in order to draft the COY16 Youth statement of UM6P.
This committee was very inclusive, it gathered people from different nationalities, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and people with disabilities. It had various presentations of youth from UM6P, Benguerir, Youssoufia, Sidi Bouathmane as well as other rural communities to ensure inclusive and fair participation.
URL: https://web.facebook.com/UM6PSustainableDevelopment/posts/330765325379910?_rdc=1&_rdr
2) The Sustainable Development ambassadors’ program
Description: The Sustainable Development ambassadors' program is a gathering of students to act as ambassadors for their peers in order to implement sustainable initiatives, promote sustainability culture and mobilize the community into creating a sustainable campus.
3) Green Universities Summit
Description: The GUS is a club founded by the elected SD Ambassador o 2020 to organize an annual international conference gathering young students from all over the world, whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation between the universities, acting for climate change, and making their universities sustainable.
URL: https://www.facebook.com/greenuniversitiessummit
4)Global Goals Jam - Jammers
Description: Global Goals Jam UM6P is organized by UM6P Sustainable Development Ambassadors 2021, who got together to organize the first edition ever of GLOBAL GOALS JAM in MOROCCO, the event is one of the pre-COP26 events that address the environmental challenges we face in the 21st century under the theme: “Think Globally, act locally #Design2030”
It aims at three themes of sustainable development: Climate Justice, Beyond Human-Centered Design, and Regenerative cities. It will adopt the design thinking process for creating and pitching projects but with an artistic twist. In other words, instead of pitching their project with a presentation, teams had to showcase it with a play or a video from their own making with the tools they have.
URL: https://www.facebook.com/GGJUM6P
Does the institution have a garden, farm, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or an urban agriculture project where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
UM6P Experimental Farm
Description: The UM6P Experimental Farm is open to all students and staff to learn all about trees, plants, grounds, and irrigation systems. It is an agricultural facility, working farm, and research center of Mohamed VI Polytechnic University. It is located near the university campus and serves as an infrastructure for professors, researchers, students, or anyone for conducting research projects specialized in food and agriculture. It also exhibits the progress of the ecosystem, the flora, the livestock, and agricultural technology.
It is equipped with laboratories and experimental grounds to conduct scientific experiments especially for the School of Agriculture, Fertilization, and Environment Sciences. All students have access to the farm for any kind of experiment, project, and/or research. In fact, many of the “Campus as a living laboratory” projects use the Experimental farm as their field to test the performance and the various aspects of their solution
Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
Name: Tradicraft
Description: It is an eco-friendly startup. Tradicraft is a student enterprise led by SAP+D student, Ms. Oumaima Diani, that produces, and markets artisanal products made from purely natural wool. The eco-responsible startup offers a wide range of resistant, authentic, and natural products such as diary or book covers, carpets, and computers cover. Her products were offered to UM6P VIP guests and honorable ministries.
Tradicraft aims to improve the situation of women living in rural areas in Morocco, most specifically in the region of Rhamna. Most of these women are illiterate/with low education levels, due to the lack of education opportunities and infrastructure in their youth. These rural stay-at-home spouses, living in a highly patriarchal environment, do not have their own incomes, and some of them even live under the poverty line. Therefore, we aim to empower them, give them a chance to utilize their talent, and gain income and transferable skills through the making of traditional artisanal products.
It consists of the manufacture of a wide range of handicraft products in natural wool for durable use such as diary or book covers, computer sleeves adapted to the tastes of the customers.
Does the institution have a sustainable investment fund, green revolving fund, or sustainable microfinance initiative through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills?:
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
Project 1: Sustainable Development Fund – Fond DD
In August 2020, the UM6P Sustainable Development Department launched a call for projects for a UM6P sustainable development fund dedicated to students and staff in order to eucourage them to suggest SD related projects, challenge themselves during their implementation, appeal to their creativity and their imagination. The selected projects are the ones that directly tackle the STARS accreditation criteria.
This fund has been developed to fulfill a common vision on implementing innovative, sustainable and collaborative projects with a high added value.
URL: www.sd.um6p.ma
Project 2 : Energy Sustainability Chair Projects Proposal
Description: The Energy Sustainability chair (ENSUS) launched a call for project intended to UM6P and MASCIR researchers. This chair initiatives promotes research, development and innovation in the fields of generation, storage, distribution and use of energy, which is needed to maintain social welfare and development. The chair places special emphasis on the related economic, environmental, educational, and social aspects.
The Chair pursues activities that ensure energy sustainability with actions aiming to have:
* A scientific impact through, publications, seminars, and conferences.
* An economic impact through IP generation and licensing, technology transfer to industry and startups, with the aim of adding value to Moroccan resources in general and OCP’s.
* A social impact by proclaiming sustainability as a strategic objective and placing it at the core of all activities.
* An environmental impact by placing renewable energy, water-energy nexus, recycling and waste valorization in focus.
URL: https://sd.um6p.ma/news/Energy-Sustainability-Chair-Projects-Proposal/?id=6078137a574cb769ff82b097
Project 3 : The African Plant Nutrition Research Fund (APNRF)
Description: The African Plant Nutrition Research Fund (APNRF) has announced the finalists of its inaugural call for research proposals to support agricultural research for development. Four projects were selected during a highly competitive assessment process including 117 applications representing 25 countries across Africa.
The aim of the APNRF is to enable scaling of improved nutrient and soil fertility management by synergistically extending research conducted in strategic priority areas of APNI:
1) Climate and Weather-Smart Plant Nutrition;
2) Soil Health for Improved Livelihoods;
3) Precision Nutrient Management.
The fund was created through a partnership between APNI and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P)
Has the institution hosted a conference, speaker series, symposium, or similar event focused on sustainability during the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
Global Goals Jam UM6P
Description: Global Goals Jam UM6P is organized by UM6P Sustainable Development Ambassadors 2021, who got together to organize the first edition ever of GLOBAL GOALS JAM in MOROCCO, the event is one of the pre-COP26 events that address the environmental challenges we face in the 21st century under the theme: “Think Globally, act locally #Design2030”
It aims at three themes of sustainable development: Climate Justice, Beyond Human-Centered Design, and Regenerative cities. It will adopt the design thinking process for creating and pitching projects but with an artistic twist. In other words, instead of pitching their project with a presentation, teams have to showcase it with a play or a video from their own making with the tools they have.
URL: https://www.facebook.com/GGJUM6P
Project 2 : Social Entrepreneurship Weekend for rural girls
Description: Social Entrepreneurship Weekend for rural girls is a Hackathon launched by P-Curiosity LAB in collaboration with EMINES-School of Industrial Management under the theme “The education of Rhamna’s Rural girls” (Rhamna is the local region where the University is located).
It aims to select ideas for innovative, exclusive, and sustainable social projects which are focused on creating a rural female community aware of the importance of education as a socio-economic elevator and an intellectual asset.
The 3 winning projects at the Social Entrepreneurship Weekend benefited from:
- Infrastructure and expertise of the P-Curiosity LAB
- Methodological support (expertise, incubation, workspace, mentoring & training, business development, networking ...) within the P-Curiosity LAB, for the implementation of their projects.
- Financing of the experimentation and prototyping phase
Project 3 : SDGs Night QUIZ
Description: Within the Framework of the UM6P SD Fund, the « SDGs Night Quiz » is a competition, held on the 13th of February, organized by the FGSES Sustainable ambassadors to promote SDGs within their peers. It involves doing a quiz about SDGs after the finals to engage them in a fun game and help them relax from all the assignments. Indeed, they had fun while learning new concepts and information about the agenda 2030 and its goals in an amusing way. It aims to raise awareness about Sustainable Development and the current world challenges by engaging students in amusing games and by winning prizes.
URL: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6768110343580340225
Project 4 : Global Goals Jam UM6P
Description: Global Goals Jam UM6P is organized by UM6P Sustainable Development Ambassadors 2021, who got together to organize the first edition ever of GLOBAL GOALS JAM in MOROCCO, the event is one of the pre-COP26 events that address the environmental challenges we face in the 21st century under the theme: “Think Globally, act locally #Design2030”
It aims at three themes of sustainable development: Climate Justice, Beyond Human-Centered Design, and Regenerative cities. It will adopt the design thinking process for creating and pitching projects but with an artistic twist. In other words, instead of pitching their project with a presentation, teams have to showcase it with a play or a video from their own making with the tools they have.
Project 5 : Zero Hunger Short Story Contest – ZEHUST
Description: In the dynamics to spark the innovative spirit of our community to tackle sustainability issues, the UM6P Sustainable Development launched, on the 18th of February, the "Zero Hunger Short Story" contest to challenge UM6P students to present a story of their own making on how gender inclusiveness can change the narratives about Africa on food security. Therefore, the story is tailored on the topic: Ending Food Insecurity in Africa: The Role of Gender Inclusiveness.
The story should involve two young heroes: a boy named “Bamba” and a girl named “Modjadji”. A story that aims to highlight the journey of the food insecurity sufferance in their village and their story to secure Food security to their community.
The #ZEHUST contest was led the ESAFE SD Ambassadors to ignite the creativity spirit of the UM6P Community and serve as a teaser of one of the SD Upcoming projects which directly tackles Zero HUNGER on campus. (UM6P Foodbank))
URL: https://sd.um6p.ma/news/Zero-Hunger-Short-Story-Contest-ZEHUST/?id=602ffff8574cb769ff82b083
COY16 Youth Statement Sessions of UM6P
Description: Mohammed VI Polytechnic University was a United Nations Climate Change Conference of Youth 16 Partner in acting towards Climate Action. In this regards, youth representatives of UM6P and the local region of Rhamna have gathered as the COY 16 Youth Consultative Committee in 3 sessions to debate and discuss the emerging issues and youth commitments related to climate change, clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, eco-mobility, social inclusion, and gender equality in order to write the COY16 Youth Statement of UM6P.
URL: https://web.facebook.com/UM6PSustainableDevelopment/posts/330765325379910?_rdc=1&_rdr
Halloween Movie Night
Description: In collaboration with Students Organizations leadership engagement (S.O.L.E), the SD Ambassadors 2021 organized the 1st initiative of the 3rd edition of Food Bank on Halloween. Students enjoyed their 30th of October with a Halloween movie, popcorn, candy floss and Nutella crepes to serve a sustainable action. buying tickets with a symbolic prize helped the SD ambassadors raise funds for the 3rd edition of Food Bank to help people in need.
All UM6P community members were invited to the 3rd edition of Food bank and to come forward and donate generously in the Food Bank boxes. This project is a social inclusion program to promote solidarity and philanthropy among our community members. Your support will go a long way towards helping disadvantaged families.
Sustainability Debate
Description: Sustainability debating tournament was a 3 day event where UM6P students community had the chance to debate with their colleague on different thematic under the supervision of UM6P experts and practitioners to bring out their art of dialogue, persuasion, and to teach them how a group of people can collectively come up with innovative and creative ways to pitch and defend a cause.
Has the institution hosted a cultural arts event, installation, or performance focused on sustainability with the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
Project 1 : Food Bank 1st Launch
Description: The launch of UM6P Food bank was organized at UM6P Pergola with UM6P Band on the form a solidarity concert for the benefit of UM6P students’ community to enjoy a musical night while donating in the Food Bank boxes.
Project 2 : NABNI
Description: NABNI is an event organized by MAHIR students that address the issues of education and youth development.
Through this artistic awareness campaign that is composed of art installations, plays, musicals, and concerts, they raised awareness about the issues of agriculture, youth, education, environment, recycling…etc. in Morocco. It was a two-week event full of sharing experiences and highlighting initiatives, solutions, results, and concrete achievements through debates, inspirational sessions, creative installations, and artistic performances.
URL: www.facebook.com/MAHIR-Center-2240190336024169
Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
Project 1 : AYUR – Travel to impact
Description: Ayur is an initiative launched by Ms. Oumayma Essemrhouni, a UM6P student to her peers to be engaged in social and solidarity mountain climbing and rural trips where they get together, travel to a rural area, organize a sustainable event for the rural village. The SD department has offered them a mentorship to implement the “Leave no traces” initiative.
URL: https://www.instagram.com/ayur_travel_to_impact/
Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
Project 1 : Learning by Farming
Description: This initiative is launched by ESAFE for the benefit of UM6P students to learn planting trees and agricultural skills. They are challenged to learn and then practice their knowledge in the experimental farm. They learn how to plant and trim trees, the type of trees and soils, the assessment of fertilizers and the water management for irrigation.
Project 2 : Art of Sustainability Program
Description: "Art of Sustainability" aims to strengthen the culture of sustainable development, to develop awareness of the environmental emergency and to commit to creating new expressive forms of impact and positive change. The active participation of the community will be an echo of the affirmation of the implication of the UM6P in the ecological, ethical, and social movement in order to improve mentalities and push the community to manifest their spirit of creativity and innovation.
In its 1st edition, “UM6P Recycl’Art” aims to encourage the UM6P community to create and innovate works of art around the theme "Recycling and waste recovery" in order to raise the community's awareness, encourage them to implement the culture of sorting waste and help them reflect on their consumption patterns and waste management.
The 2nd edition called “Green Halloween” aimed to recycle waste into Halloween decorations for the diverse Halloween events that were held on October.
Project 3 : UM6P – a consortium of African and European universities for the promotion of agri-entrepreneurship and community engagement
Description: To promote Agri-entrepreneurship and stimulate community engagement, UM6P has recently joined a consortium of African and European universities around the AgriEngage project.
AgriEngage is a 3-year project that aims to strengthen the capacity of higher education institutions to deliver training programs in agri-entrepreneurship and community engagement in East, West, and North Africa. These programs are in line with the changing needs of the labor market and can stimulate the African agricultural transformation. The specific objectives of the project are:
- To develop updated training programs on agri-entrepreneurship and community engagement in higher education institutions;
- To improve the teaching skills of university staff;
- To develop the skills of undergraduate and graduate students in agri-entrepreneurship, agribusiness services development, and community engagement.
- To strengthen the collaborations between higher education institutions and the industry.
- Benin: The University of Abomey Calavi and the National University of Agriculture
- Denmark: The University of Copenhagen
- Italy: The University of Pavia
- Kenya: Egerton University and Pwani University
- Morocco: Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute (IAV)
- Uganda: Gulu University, Uganda Martyrs University and The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM)
At Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, the AgriEngage project is led by the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab (I&E Lab) and the School of Agriculture, Fertilization and Environmental Sciences (ESAFE).
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
UM6P Students Jobs
Description: UM6P Students Jobs platform is an opportunity for UM6P students to gain experience, boost their resumes and expand their network. It was launched on July 2020 by the Students organizations, leadership, and engagement (previously students empowerment office) through an official communication from the UM6P president. It will enable students to develop a sense of responsibility and strong work ethics by always following up the UM6P Motto “Learning by doing”.
Since most of the students have a deep understanding of the UM6P context, infrastructures, and culture, it is a great opportunity for both students and staff to offer them paid internships and tasks. It involves jobs with sustainable aspects such as working with researchers in the experimental farm or working on social projects for the disadvantaged people in the region.
Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
Awards program
Name : Emerging Leader for African Agricultural Transformation (ELAAT) Award & Visionary Scientist for African Agriculture Award
Description: OCP North America is sponsoring two new awards through the Tri-Societies (American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America), recognizing notable achievements in African agriculture.
The two Awards are now open for nominations through the links below, and awards will be presented during the 2021 Tri-Societies Annual Meeting.
•Emerging Leader for African Agricultural Transformation (ELAAT) Award: An award of $2,000 will be conferred to one emerging scientist for a specific, exceptionally significant, individual achievement in African agriculture and the transformational, quantifiable and measurable impact of their contributions to the greater field of African agriculture. (https://www.crops.org/awards/view/222/)
•Visionary Scientist for African Agriculture Award: This award is presented to an agronomic, crop, or soil scientist that has addressed grave challenges in African agriculture for a specific, exceptionally significant, individual achievement in African agriculture. Efforts may be through research, applied science, or ecosystem approaches, and may address issues in African agriculture including, but not limited to, soil fertility, crop nutrition, agronomy, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and value chain optimization. (https://www.crops.org/awards/view/221)
URL: https://sd.um6p.ma/news/Emerging-Leader-for-African-Agricultural/?id=601440ad574cb769ff82b07c
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.