WE4LEAD Closing Conference 2026

On April 15 and 16, 2026, more than 200 people gathered at the headquarters of Aix Marseille University for the closing conference of the WE4LEAD project, Women's Empowerment For Leadership and Equity in Higher Education Institutions, co-led by Aix Marseille University and the Lebanese University.

Co-funded by the European Union, the WE4LEAD project is a project to strengthen skills in higher education, aiming to promote equality between women and men in higher education institutions in the Mediterranean region, in particular women's access to decision-making positions. Stemming from the Tethys network, a consortium of Euro-Mediterranean universities, it brings together 9 universities from 6 countries around the Mediterranean (Algeria, Spain, France, Italy, Lebanon, Tunisia) and an associated partner, RESUFF.

The objective of these 2 days: to present the tools and methods developed within the framework of the WE4LEAD project, as well as its first results, and to engage the universities and institutions present in a sustainable dynamic in favor of equality between women and men.

Symbolically hosted by the Lebanese University and the Antonine University in the premises of Aix Marseille University, the exchanges brought together academic leaders, representatives of Euro-Mediterranean institutions, including Mrs. Nadia Hai, Ambassador and Interministerial Delegate for the Mediterranean (DIMED), Mrs. Petra Kezman, Deputy Secretary General for Human Development of the Union for the Mediterranean, or Mrs. Dubravka Suica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean (video intervention), as well as all the partners who have contributed, for more than 3 years, to the realization of the activities and the production of the 34 deliverables.

These are the delegations of the Lebanese University, Antonine University, University of Tunis El Manar, University of Sousse, University Freres Mentouri - Constantine 1, University of Constantine 3 Salah Boubnider, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Sapienza Universita di Roma, and RESUFF, Francophone Network of Women Leaders in Higher Education and Research.

These two days of conference were an opportunity to present the results and impacts of the WE4LEAD project in the partner universities, to promote the capitalization and transferability of the tools and methodology WE4LEAD to new universities, and to consolidate a community of committed actors.

The highlight of these two days was that the academic leaders made commitments to ensure the sustainability of the project's activities beyond European funding. The Presidents and Rectors present, including Bassam Badran, Lotfi Belkacem, Eric Berton, Moez Chafra, and Rev. Father Michel Saghbiny, and the representatives of the governance of the Universities of Constantine 1 and 3, Autonomous University of Madrid and Sapienza Universita di Roma, all expressed their willingness to continue and institutionalize the flagship initiatives of the project, in particular, the collection and analysis of gender-based data, the awareness of governance, the creation of an institutional framework, training for recruitment without gender stereotypes, mentoring programs, awareness and training on sexual harassment and the opening of listening units for a fully inclusive university.

"Gender equality cannot be improvised. It is built with skills, methods, data, and training that are rigorously designed and scientifically nourished. It is also built with time, commitment, and resources." - Isabelle Regner, scientific coordinator of the WE4LEAD project and Vice-President for Gender Equality and the Fight against Discrimination, Aix Marseille University.

Women Leading Change launch during the WE4LEAD closing conference

This conference marked a key milestone in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation on gender equality in higher education, by associating it with the organisation of the launch event of the Women Leading Change project, a new initiative that will build on these results through a new network of partner institutions. Present were the representatives of the universities and municipalities benefiting from the Women Leading Change project, supported by the Union for the Mediterranean and the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation, namely the Euromed University of Fez (Morocco), Abdelmalek Essaadi University of Tangier/Tetouan (Morocco), Hassan II University of Casablanca (Morocco), Mohammed V University of Rabat (Morocco), University of Manara (Syria) as well as the municipalities of Rabat, Fez and Tetouan.

Over the course of two days, the participants shared their experiences, learned from the transformations undertaken, and opened a new phase of cooperation aimed at strengthening inclusive governance, promoting women to leadership positions, and fostering sustainable change in the region's universities.

"I believe in this project that brings systemic change for equality in higher education. Let's not forbid ourselves, this is a fight for equal opportunities, for equal rights, for the right to emancipation, respect and success." - Eric Berton, President of the University of Aix Marseille.

"The political will to improve things is common. On the other hand, it doesn't happen all at once. There is a history, a culture, this project has made it possible to institutionalize change." - Bassam Badran, Rector of the Lebanese University.

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