The Erasmus+ capacity building project ‘RAQMYAT – Stratégies numériques pour la formation doctorale en sciences humaines et sociales en Tunisie’ (Digital Strategies for Doctoral Training in Social Sciences and Humanities in Tunisia) aims to contribute to build a new Social Science and Humanities (SSH) doctoral training model in Tunisia. 

The target of this project are 7 Tunisian universities, namely as follows: University of La Manouba, University of Kairouan, University of Sfax, University of Sousse, University of Tunis El Manar, University of Tunis and Virtual University of Tunis. 

The acquisition of digital skills for the Tunisian universities involved – especially in the SSH field, often neglected in the academic landscape – thus takes on renewed importance due to the three levels of project’s actions:

• improvement of the professors’ and trainers’ digital skills, through the development of innovative teaching models;
• creation of valuable opportunities, through summer schools and workshops, for the employability of doctoral students;
• providing institutional support – thanks to the involvement of the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Research – to the implementation of digital strategies in the Tunisian universities.

Scheduled to conclude on October 31, 2024, the project has already achieved some important steps in attempting to modernize the Tunisian SSH doctoral schools.

Digital training and strategies: the outcomes of RAQMYAT events at Tunis

In this framework, two major events have been held from June 25 to 27 at Gammarth, near Tunis, with the participation of over 70 individuals such as research professors, assistant professors, directors of doctoral schools, and other academic staff from Tunisian and European partners.

Organized by UNIMED – the coordinator – in collaboration with the University of Tunis El Manar, which hosted the events, and with the scientific support of the University of La Manouba, the project’s scientific coordinator, these events included the 2nd Training of Trainers and the Workshop on Digital Strategies.

The 2nd Training of Trainers aimed to equip educators with skills to use digital tools in doctoral training and to support doctoral students’ career development. The workshop, on the other hand, focused on helping universities draft their digital strategies for doctoral education, with guidance from experts in digitalization and strategic planning, including the partners from the University of Vienna and the University of Grenade.

Conclusion

The two events have seen the opening and closing ceremonies, in front of the Tunisian press and featuring notable speakers from various Tunisian educational institutions. 
The Presidents of the University of La Manouba and the University of Tunis El Manar, respectively Prof. Jouhaina Gherib and Prof. Moez Chafra, along with the Secretary General of UNIMED, Prof. Hmaid Ben Aziza, closed the three days by emphasizing the need to continue cooperation between Tunisian universities and with European universities