The Moroccan capital, Rabat, hosted the third edition of the Forum of Academic Chairs affiliated with international organizations, which was organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in collaboration with the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as well as a number of concerned international organizations, in the presence of experts, academics, and representatives of universities and research institutions.

Held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, the meeting, themed “Academic Chairs in the Service of Society,” aimed to strengthen coordination and communication among academic chairs affiliated with international organizations, as well as share expertise and successful experiences. This will contribute to enhancing their performance and expanding their influence in the fields of knowledge and development.

During the forum, Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Director of ICESCO’s Translation and Publishing Centre, gave a presentation on ICESCO’s model for academic chairs. He outlined the governance pillars, impact measurement mechanisms, and partnership-building methods with universities and academic institutions.

Dr. Albanyan emphasized that developing this model would enhance the effectiveness of the Chairs and consolidate their developmental and knowledge-based role, thereby ensuring their contribution to addressing priority issues within Member States.

Dr. Salim Al-Habsi, Director of the General Secretariat for National Commissions and Conferences at ICESCO, also took part in the Forum’s sessions, stressing the importance of coordinating efforts between national commissions and academic and research institutions to enhance the performance of the scientific chairs and expand their scope of influence. He stressed the need to make these chairs effective platforms for linking scientific research to the needs of society and public policies.

The Forum addressed a range of topics related to the role of academic chairs in supporting scientific research, strengthening academic partnerships, and transforming knowledge into practical solutions with a direct impact on society, before concluding with the issuance of recommendations calling for support for the system of research chairs, the development of their operational mechanisms, and the enhancement of their contribution to knowledge production.