In a world where youth unemployment continues to challenge economies and societies, Ibn Tofail University has taken a bold and compassionate step toward supporting its graduates. With a strong belief that the university is not just an academic institution but a second mother to its students, UIT has established the Empowerment Center a vital structure designed to guide students through the transition from education to employment.
The Empowerment Center is more than a service; it is a symbol of UIT’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and opportunity. Rooted in the values of compassion and social responsibility, the center aims to equip students and graduates from diverse social, economic, and cultural backgrounds including students with disabilities and international students with the tools, guidance, and confidence needed to succeed in today’s complex job market.
Recognizing that many young people face significant barriers to employment, the Empowerment Center aligns with SDG 1 about no poverty by fostering self-reliance through employability and entrepreneurship. It offers practical training programs, job-readiness workshops, and business development support to help students break cycles of economic hardship and strive toward financial independence.
Further, the Center actively promotes gender equality by ensuring that all services are inclusive and empowering for women. From leadership development to entrepreneurship opportunities tailored for young women, UIT supports gender equity in both education and the workforce.
By ensuring that all students, regardless of their background or abilities, have equal access to support and opportunity, the Empowerment Center advances reduced inequalities. No student is left behind—every initiative is rooted in fairness and inclusion.
As a hub for career development and life-long learning, the Empowerment Center also contributes to quality education. It enhances the academic experience by offering complementary soft skills training, career orientation, and access to real-world learning through internships and employer engagement
In preparing students for meaningful employment, the Center responds to decent work and economic growth. It empowers students not only to find jobs but also to create them through entrepreneurship. By doing so, it supports sustainable economic growth and job creation in both regional and national levels.
Ibn Tofail University strengthened its commitment to inclusive local development by expanding the UIT Start-Up programme under the Empowerment Center. This initiative supports students and local entrepreneurs from the Kenitra region in launching financially and socially sustainable businesses. Through free access to expert mentorship, business modeling workshops, and innovation bootcamps, participants are guided from ideation to implementation. A key asset of this programme is the UIT FabLab, a digital fabrication space that provides students and external project holders with access to advanced equipment for prototyping and product development. The initiative also offered training sessions on topics like green mobility, agritech, digital services, and the circular economy, aligning business support with Morocco’s national development goals. In 2024 alone, more than 25 entrepreneurial projects received coaching, technical assistance, and support to develop into viable start-ups with local impact.
Complementing UIT Start-Up, the university also partnered with INJAZ Al-Maghrib in 2024 to host the Company Program, which promotes collaboration between students and local community members to create small businesses with social value. Mixed teams received structured training in pitching, financial planning, and business ethics, with a focus on building inclusive, responsible enterprises. These activities helped bridge the gap between university knowledge and community needs, while also offering real-world entrepreneurial experience. Together, these programmes reflect Ibn Tofail University’s holistic approach to development, leveraging academic infrastructure and expertise to empower future entrepreneurs and contribute to job creation, innovation, and long-term regional sustainability.
Finally, the Center’s outreach is strengthened through collaboration with local and national partners, making it a model of partnerships for the goals. Joint events, career days, and scientific forums bridge the gap between academia and industry, creating a dynamic ecosystem of opportunity for UIT students and graduates.
Through the Empowerment Center, UIT reaffirms its mission to be a nurturing second home for students one that prepares, protects, and propels them toward a future filled with promise, purpose, and progress.
In addition to its comprehensive support programs, Ibn Tofail University has established targeted graduation and completion objectives for students from the bottom 20% of household income groups. Recognizing the financial and social barriers these students may face, the University, in collaboration with the National Office for University, Social and Cultural Works (ONOUSC), prioritizes them for social scholarships, access to university residences, and university dining facilities. Through continuous monitoring of application, enrollment, and graduation rates, the Empowerment Center ensures that these students receive the guidance and resources necessary to successfully complete their studies. By setting measurable inclusion targets and evaluating progress regularly, UIT reinforces its commitment to equitable access, social mobility, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals 1 (No Poverty) and 4 (Quality Education).