Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane - Spotlights

Spotlights

Dr. Stefano Bigliardi, Al Akhawayn University Professor, Elected to International Society for Science and Religion

Dr. Stefano Bigliardi, professor at Al Akhawayn University School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS), has been invited to become a Fellow of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR). This prestigious fellowship recognizes Dr. Bigliardi's exceptional contributions to the field, his commitment to promoting research at the intersection of science, religion, and theology on a global scale, and his dedication to academic excellence.  

AUI Professors, Drs. Youssef Chetioui and Hind Lebdaoui, and MBA Alumnus Soukaina Kanzi Belghiti, awarded the 1st Best research paper award in the 14th  Global Islamic Marketing conference.

Their remarkable achievement was realized during their participation in the 14th Global Islamic Marketing Conference, which took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, from September 27 to 29, 2023. This significant event, indexed in Scopus proceedings and hosted by Springer, served as the backdrop for this remarkable recognition. 

Drs. Youssef Chetioui and Hind Lebdaoui, distinguished faculty members hailing from the esteemed Al Akhawayn University (AUI) School of Business Administration (SBA), collaborated with MBA Alumnus Soukaina Kanzi Belghiti to produce an exceptional research paper titled "An Investigation of the Factors Influencing Muslim Consumers' Attitudes Towards Cryptocurrency Adoption: Does Religiosity Matter?" Their groundbreaking work stood out as the 1st Best research paper Award. 

The annual conference is organized by the International Islamic Marketing Association (IIMA) is meant to promote the values of the IIMA. The IIMA was established to create more humane world markets and give control back to the consumer. It aims to achieve this through teaching and promoting the theory and practice of Islamic Marketing. Selected papers from the 14th Global Islamic Marketing conference will be published in Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics indexed by Scopus.  

Dr. Kenza Oumlil Unveils Empowering Narratives of Sub-Saharan Migrant Women in Morocco's Digital Sphere

Al Akhawayn University proudly celebrates the latest achievement of Dr. Kenza Oumlil, one of our esteemed faculty members. Her recent article, "Counter-Narratives about Sub-Saharan Migrant Women in the Digital Public Sphere," published in the Arab Media & Society Journal, marks a significant contribution to the discourse on migrant social media activism and gender empowerment in Morocco. 

In her article, Dr. Oumlil explores the impactful role of sub-Saharan migrant women in Morocco's digital public sphere. By focusing on counter-narratives, she highlights their civic engagement and how they challenge prevailing norms in media representation. 

The research centers on Hassan Yemcheu's YouTube channel, where he shares content on behalf of the association "Planet Migrant." This case study is exceptional as it amplifies the voices of sub-Saharan migrant women in a narrative space primarily dominated by men. 

Through Planet Migrant's videos, Dr. Oumlil uncovers diverse perspectives, ranging from migrant women's entrepreneurship to addressing issues like domestic violence. These narratives provide a fresh and essential outlook on the experiences of sub-Saharan migrant women in Morocco, contributing to their empowerment and socio-political agency. 

Dr. Kenza Oumlil's work is not only academically significant but also adds depth and understanding to the challenges and triumphs faced by sub-Saharan migrant women in Morocco's digital realm. 

To read more, please check the link below:  

 

Al Akhawayn Engineering Students Shine in European Union's InovUP Hakathon with Innovative 'Smart Aquaponie' Project

SSE Engineering students: Hajar Nafid, Abdelmojib Chouhbi, Kacem Chawqi and MohamedAmjad ELotfi were selected to participate in the student InovUP students Hakathon. Students' Innov'UP is a joint initiative between the European Union in Morocco, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Euro-Mediterranean University of Fez (UEMF) to encourage young students to undertake and innovate by developing entrepreneurial solutions related to the environment and climate change.

 

The AUI team was ranked six among 200 teams who applied for the Hakathon; The AUI team was the only undergraduate team to successfully compete in the Hakathon with an innovative solution titled Smart Aquaponie, a project aiming at implementing TinyML in smart Aquaponie for protein and vegetable production.

For more information: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/morocco/Students-InnovUp_fr 

 

AUI Professors, Dr. Chtouki, Dr. Benamar, and SSE Students Co-author a Journal Paper on TinyML

Dr. Yousra Chtouki, Professor in the School of Science and Engineering (SSE), and Dr. Nabil Benamar, Adjunct Professor, co-authored a paper with undergraduate students Anas Temouden, Hatim Bamoumen and Ph.D. student Youssef AbadadeThe paper, titled "A Comprehensive Survey on TinyML" was published in IEEE Access in July 2023. This publication comes at a crucial time where TinyML offers a promising alternative to ML, especially in limited resources devices. it serves as a good reference for researchers, scientists, and anyone who may be curious about the uses of TinyML. This publication is also part of the effort to encourage more undergraduate research at AUI.

 

 More details can be found at:

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10177729