Morocco Launches MAD 63 Million PhD Program for Energy Transition and Sustainability
Rabat, The Gulf Observer: Morocco has announced a new partnership to fund 50 doctoral scholarships dedicated to energy transition and sustainable development, reinforcing the country’s commitment to advancing research and innovation in sustainability fields.
The agreement was signed in Rabat by Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali and Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation Azeddine El Midaoui. The initiative aims to strengthen Morocco’s research capacity and nurture a new generation of experts equipped to drive the nation’s green transformation.
Minister Benali hailed the initiative as “an investment in Morocco’s future and its youth,” noting that the program will support around 50 PhD candidates focusing on renewable energy, energy transition, and climate change. She emphasized that the initiative aligns with Morocco’s long-term vision to embed sustainability at the heart of its research and innovation policies, consistent with the National Sustainable Development Strategy 2035.
“This partnership reflects Morocco’s strategic approach to prioritizing human capital in advancing the country’s energy transition goals,” Benali said, adding that Morocco needs highly trained specialists capable of designing and implementing the solutions that will power its green transformation.
Minister El Midaoui welcomed the signing of the agreement, stressing that “youth are the backbone and one of the strategic levers for accompanying Morocco’s technological and scientific transformations.” He underscored the importance of training qualified researchers who can contribute to Morocco’s key national projects, including technological autonomy, digital transition, and environmental sustainability.
The program, which will run from 2026 to 2028, will be fully financed by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development with a total budget of MAD 63 million (approximately $6.1 million). The National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST) will oversee the implementation and monitoring of the scholarship beneficiaries.
Through this initiative, Morocco seeks to expand its pool of specialized researchers and encourage doctoral students to develop innovative solutions to the country’s most pressing environmental challenges — including renewable energy, green hydrogen, the circular economy, and climate resilience.
