Agadir, Morocco, is hosting the sixth World Francophone Scientific Week from October 12 to 15, 2026, bringing together around 30 higher education ministers, more than 300 researchers, students and experts, and participants from over 60 nationalities. Held under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI, the event puts scientific cooperation and dialogue at the heart of the global Francophone community.
Following previous editions in Bucharest, Cairo, Quebec City, Toulouse and Dakar, the gathering brings the international scientific community to southern Morocco for four days of discussions on shared global challenges.
Science as a tool for international dialogue
Co-organised by Ibn Zohr University and the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), this year’s edition explores the role of Francophone scientific diplomacy in a changing geopolitical landscape.
The discussions focus on how universities and researchers can strengthen cross-border cooperation to address major challenges, including healthcare, artificial intelligence, linguistic diversity and peacebuilding.
The programme features a conference of North African university rectors, an opening lecture on financing the Francophone community, the sixth Francophone Scientific Forum and a Youth Congress addressing issues such as disinformation.
The sixth Ministerial Conference, scheduled for Thursday, October 15, is another major highlight of the event. Conferences and workshops are also being streamed online, allowing a wider audience to follow the discussions.
Agadir strengthens its position as a centre of knowledge
The event reinforces Agadir’s standing as a university city with international ambitions. Ibn Zohr University, one of southern Morocco’s major higher education institutions, plays a central role as co-organiser. A dedicated workshop also examines the development of scientific cooperation within Morocco’s Francophone community.
For Morocco, hosting the gathering provides an opportunity to showcase its academic influence and its position as a bridge between Africa, the Arab world and the wider Francophone community.
While the country continues to host major sporting events, including the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Futsal 2026 in Rabat, Agadir is highlighting another dimension of Morocco’s international engagement: bringing countries together through science, education and knowledge.
By convening ministers, academics and young people from across the world, the sixth World Francophone Scientific Week aims to strengthen scientific partnerships and reinforce the role of research in addressing shared global challenges.
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