The Union for the Mediterranean and the European Investment Bank partner for trainings in Mediterranean Universities

Through a partnership between the two institutions, students on the South Mediterranean have received high-level financial and political expertise on the Euro-Mediterranean policies and financial opportunities offered by the EIB.

Barcelona, April 2023. Starting in November 2022 and until March 2023, the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Investment Bank have piloted trainings as proofs of concept with three initial Mediterranean Universities in Morocco, Egypt and Jordan. The aim was to bring for the first time trainings tailored to the needs of the receiving Universities, on fields such as the EU financial architecture for development, the mandate of the UfM and its role in the formulation of policies, the EIB role and business cycle in the EU architecture with a focus on multilateral policy frameworks and the EU project and development financing mechanisms.

The UfM and EIB co-created training modules with Mediterranean universities in mind, specifically focusing on the EIB and its role and mandate in the Mediterranean region with lectures adapted to local and regional needs. EIB Senior Official at the UfM, Andrea Tinagli, EIB Institute representative, Flavia Palanza, and the UfM Higher Education and Research Division Expert, Giuseppe Provenzano fostered the development of the initiative, facilitating partnership building with Universities and building a training module based on Euro-Mediterranean policies and the role played out by dialogue carried out in the context of the UfM, with particular reference to science diplomacy and innovation-employability.

The first two-day training was held on 21 and 22 November 2022 at the Euro-Med University of Fès, Morocco – a flagship UfM-supported project – and subsequently on 13 and 14 March at the Jordan University in Amman, and on 20 and 21 March at Ain-Shams University in Cairo.

In 2023 and following years, additional similar trainings and activities are planned to be held in selected universities of the southern shore of the Mediterranean, further expanding the geographical coverage.

The trainings were facilitated following an agreement by the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Investment Bank, renewed in 2022. The Union for the Mediterranean has been working with the European Investment Bank Institute – the philanthropic arm of the EIB – exploring ways of cooperation in developing academic ties and research programs. This renewed drive has led to structuring a curriculum on the EIB and UfM activities offered in the Southern Mediterranean Universities.