Adil Bentahar, associate professor at the English Language Institute, was the co-chair of the first ever Social Science Education Consortium (SSEC) conference in Morocco and in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region as a whole. The event took place in June and was co-hosted by Morocco’s Cadi Ayyad University (UCA) and the Moroccan Center for Civic Education (MCCE).
The five-day conference brought together educators from more than 20 countries with the goal of enhancing the teaching of history, geography, and civic and economic education within Morocco and the MENA region.
The conference made a point to uplift new Moroccan voices in the academic world; graduate and doctoral students had the unique opportunity to present alongside their advisors and professors as well as participate as organizing committee members. They helped plan the event, facilitated sessions as moderators and discussants, and ultimately, grew as leaders.
“As a conference co-chair,” Bentahar stated, “I was thrilled to see first-year doctoral students enjoy and live the experience alongside conference attendees—including foreign and national academics.”
Bentahar, a native Moroccan, knows firsthand the difficulties of pursuing academia in a country where educators don’t always have easy access to conferences and professional development opportunities. He and two colleagues worked to ensure that Morocco hosted the SSEC conference, which had always previously been held in Western countries.
“As a UD academic, I believe I have a responsibility to use my experience and knowledge to bring about change and occasionally shake the status quo so other less advantaged people can benefit,” Bentahar said.
“The SSEC conference had a dual benefit: Moroccans could learn from their peers in the U.S. in terms of research and teaching, but also Western scholars and academics could learn about the success stories of their counterparts on Moroccan campuses and higher education institutions. Events of this kind can help reverse one’s bias both ways and dismantle stereotypes.
Bentahar is excited to continue working with the SSEC board by co-editing a book on the social sciences, written by academics from around the world. The book is set to release in 2025.
Article by Kaitlyn Diehl
August 6, 2024