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Benguerir, 12 October 2021 – OCP Group and ICL Group signed today a memorandum of understanding to offer scholarships to promote research and academic excellence through the funding of sustainability programmes at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU). This support will enable both universities to formalise scientific collaboration through the promotion of exchange opportunities for academic and professional staff and students.
This partnership revolves around numerous fields of cooperation that impact the future of the world and its inhabitants: Food Security, Ecological Restoration, Climate Smart Agriculture, Water, Climate Change, Remote Sensing, Renewable Energies, Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital and Hospitality sector.
More specifically, this partnership will enable scientific and technical experts from the two institutions to consult and collaborate on sustainability initiatives, and to construct together an agenda of joint lectures, seminars, workshops and symposia.
For the implementation of these activities, OCP Group will provide initial funding of $300,000 to UM6P, and ICL Group will provide a similar amount to BGU, for a total of $600,000.
Mostafa Terrab, Chairman and CEO of OCP Group declared: “At OCP we are convinced that the best way to support sustainability, and to move from research to impact, is to sponsor world-class research collaboration at institutions such as the Mohamed VI Polytechnic University and Ben Gurion University. Investing in this research with strategic partners such as the ICL Group is key to ensuring that the concrete, science-based solutions that emerge from this research program will go to scale, and help feed the world, sustainably.”
“The positive developments in Israel’s foreign relations have opened up possibilities for us to build new relationships and create new collaborations. ICL is thrilled to be taking this historic step forward with OCP to advance sustainability research and support our local universities in their efforts to make a difference in their communities and beyond,” said Raviv Zoller, president and CEO of ICL. “Joining forces – to share decades of experience and knowledge – is key to developing innovative research and development solutions to address the world’s sustainability challenges.”
Daniel Chamovitz, President of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev said, “BGU and UM6P have much in common. From their desert settings to their focus on applied research and innovative teaching methods, the two universities are well suited to collaborate on projects in sustainability and climate change. Both universities are committed to thriving in the desert in a “Green” environment, and both look outward – focused on helping our regions, countries and the world.”
“We are grateful that ICL and OCP have joined our vision of tackling the world’s greatest crisis through supporting scholarships for graduates students who will carry out critical research for the future of our world.”
“We are very confident that our partnership with Ben-Gurion University, one of Israel’s leading research universities and among the world leaders in sustainability and many other fields of great interest to UM6P, will make major, actionable contributions to our research agenda. There are many synergies between our two institutions and a shared vision that innovation at the forefront of science and technology is vital to the future of the planet,” says Hicham El Habti, President of UM6P.
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