MARRAKECH, Morocco — The 2025 African Engineering Education Forum (AEEF), held April 17–18 at the Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, convened educators, policymakers and industry leaders from around the world to explore solutions for strengthening engineering education in resource-constrained environments.
The forum provided a collaborative platform to address shared challenges in teaching, learning and curriculum design. Dr. Michael Milligan, ABET CEO, delivered an opening keynote address titled “Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators: Cultivating Curiosity and Resilience in the GenAI Era.” His talk highlighted the importance of preparing students and encouraging curiosity in order to thrive amid rapid technological change and create innovative solutions to making our world a better place.
ABET also led a workshop facilitated by Milligan and Dr. Amanda Grace Taylor, senior director, global communication and marketing. The session focused on ABET’s outcomes-based accreditation model, including tools and practices for continuous improvement, program assessment and aligning with international quality standards. For example, the credentialing courses offerings were discussed with participants as a way to become leading assessment experts.
Organized under the theme “Strengthening Engineering Education in Africa through Innovative Collaboration,” led by Dr. Mohamed Essaaidi, the forum fostered exchange between African institutions and global partners. Participants explored strategies to improve curricula, boost industry-academia partnerships and support faculty development — key components for building globally competitive programs.
Through its participation, ABET strengthened relationships with universities across Africa and professional bodies while gaining insight into regional educational needs. Conversations at the forum provided valuable context for how ABET can better support institutions working to align with international standards and enhance student learning outcomes. We were thrilled to network with local leaders such as those from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and The Tamkine Foundation, highlighted in the video above.
The event also opened new opportunities for collaboration in accreditation preparation, capacity building and faculty training — advancing ABET’s mission to promote quality and innovation in technical education worldwide.