The first training workshop on strategic planning for decision-making kicked off today, September 17, in Ifrane, Morocco. The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held the workshop in cooperation with the German Konrad-Adenauer Foundation.
The workshop benefitted executive directors and faculty members of Al-Akhawayn University.

The two-day workshop comes as part of ICESCO’s Strategic Foresight Center program. Similar workshops will benefit other universities, companies, and civil society stakeholders in the Organization’s Member States.

The purpose is to train executives on decision-making skills based on scientific studies. The event comes amid the COVID-19 crisis that proved foresight to be an efficient tool in addressing changes.

Dr. AlMalik, ICESCO’s Director-General (DG), stated at the opening session that adopting proactive and foresight skills is no longer a luxury but is instead a strategic choice.

“We live in a rapidly changing world and face immense challenges. To unleash its full potential, we must study its future,” he underlined.

Dr. AlMalik pointed out that ICESCO works to mainstream and entrench foresight thinking in the Islamic world to assist its countries in achieving sustainable development.
He emphasized that foresight is not a new concept in the Islamic world, however countries in the region face the challenge of reviving the practice.

Dr. Amine Bensaid, President of Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, said that the training session aligns with the university’s interest in strategic planning.
The training is particularly relevant in the current circumstances as the university reconsiders its strategies in times of crises, added Dr. Bensaid.
He commended ICESCO’s activities and reshuffling, as well as the innovative initiatives it launched during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr. Steffen Krüger, Representative of the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Morocco, stated that cooperation with ICESCO is very constructive. The location of the workshop is a clear statement on the strong relations between the two parties, he continued.

Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of the Strategic Foresight Center, supervisor of the training, and PhD holder in strategic foresight, said that modern studies confirm that the development and the prosperity of civilizations should only be evaluated in future terms.