This forum has several objectives, including the development of “transformation” tools that must be undertaken at a time when, in the context of the economic crisis, Tunisian youth are worried about their future and are struggling to find their way. .
The Delegation of the European Union in Tunisia and the University of Carthage have just organized the first edition of the “University Forum” at the Institute of Higher Commercial Studies of Carthage (Ihec), which addressed the theme of “Employability Challenges”. It is, in fact, an opportunity to discuss, with all the key players, the difficulties encountered by young people in the context of their search for the first or umpteenth job opportunity.
Why does the mismatch between the world of work and university still persist? What avenues for reform to better match programs with the labor market? What is the role and added value of employability support structures? What is the role of business within the university? So many questions that this forum tries to answer with high caliber participants.
A message of hope and optimism
At the opening of the work of this Forum, the Director of Ihec Carthage, Hassan Mzali, indicated that employability is a very interesting theme which is part of the strategic axes of the university institution and that one of the keys of success for young Tunisians is and will remain higher education, the last step before employment. In this regard, Ihec Carthage has been investing for years in this huge project which is particularly close to its heart.
“We can give you some figures that confirm this reality: according to a survey carried out by the University of Carthage, out of 271 students who participated in our questionnaire, no less than 84% of them are already in professional activities, 3% have launched or are in the process of launching their start-up with 3 or 4 successes in the field of crafts, industry and IT, while 10% preferred to go abroad and 3% only are looking for work,” Mzali said.
For her part, Nadia Mzoughi, President of the University of Carthage, said that this issue is of crucial importance for the world of the university and for the student to better prepare him to succeed, to provide quality training in collaboration with companies, and for career planning with an emphasis on coaching in the area of partnership.
“The unemployment rate remains high and many of our graduates struggle to find a job that matches their qualifications and aspirations. We are gathered today to discuss how we can intervene to better prepare students for their transition to the job market, while discussing the challenges that arise, on the one hand, and while sending a message of hope and optimism to our youth, on the other hand”, she added.
In this same context, Mzoughi indicated that the University of Carthage has embarked on a strategy that aims to strengthen the employability of its students, through which the university institution aims to offer quality training and to be listening to its students, their needs, their concerns… It is also a mechanism that seeks to accelerate the role of employability support structures to support innovative projects and help students find the necessary financing, all with the aim of putting in place the paths of reform necessary for better adequacy with the labor market.
“Today, we are all aware that the term “entrepreneurship” has become fashionable, whether in Tunisia or around the world. But, on a national scale, there is a difficult entrepreneurial environment in terms of education, access to financing and markets, administrative red tape… It is in the face of this situation that the University of Carthage was the first university institution to grant student entrepreneur status, which is aimed in particular at students and young graduates with an entrepreneurial project, allowing them to carry out their entrepreneurial projects while guaranteeing student social protection”, she underlined. .
Train and prepare
Moreover, the Ambassador of the European Union, His Excellency Mr. Marcus Cornaro, said that this forum is an opportunity for Tunisian youth to train as well as to prepare. It’s a new concept, and with a theme that focuses on the economy, we must focus on Tunisian youth.
“The university is a constructive vector for any country and should be the locomotive of any development through the necessary reforms and the strategies put in place. To do this, it is essential to restore the necessary importance to the role of the university in order to develop the higher education sector and support Tunisia, especially in research and development, a sector in which it has given pride of place and distinguished itself internationally,” he said, adding that 2023 will be the year of innovation and science. To do this, EU cooperation with Tunisia will focus on the potential of Tunisian youth in this area, with corrective actions.