The minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Kamel Baddari, chaired on Thursday, at the Ministry’s headquarters, the opening of the first meeting of university sports associations, to establish a national university strategy for membership of various leagues and official competitions.
Officials of the Ministry of the Higher Education and Scientific Research, heads of university institutions and Offices of University Services, teachers, presidents of sports associations, a number of students, and the heads of sports activities services in various Algerian universities attended this meeting.
This activity aims to establish a clear road map to achieve the objectives set by the State, in order to promote university sports, restore the Algerian sports elite to its former glory, and work to involve associations and university teams in the sports activities of different national sports federations, by developing new mechanisms for their funding.
In his speech during the opening of this meeting, the minister stated that “the dynamism and activity of the sector to promote university sports are in line with the instructions of the president of the Republic Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and with the decisions of the last Council of Ministers which places the university at the centre of interests of the new Algeria,” “we became aware that this interest during the last five years, since university sports were given a place in government,” he said.
The minister added that the aim “of giving interest and prioritizing university sports is the will to restore it to its former glory, especially with the achievements of several national clubs, including the Mouloudia of Constantine, university union of Annaba, the Racing of the University of Algiers and others who honoured Algeria.”
The minister stressed the role of his ministry’s services in the development of “the student-athlete law, which offers numerous incentives and encourages university students to participate in several disciplines within university institutions and joins the annual university championships with the Algerian University Sports Federation.”
“Two years ago, we intensified the promotion of university sports in different university structures and prioritized them in conformity with the president Tebboune’s guidelines,” said the minister, stressing the “importance of the this meeting to agree on a recovering plan for the 25 university sports associations active at national level.”
The minister announced on the occasion that “the participants will study a proposal to make December 11, a national day, to celebrate university sports.”
It is noteworthy that the number of university sports practitioners increased from 4% during 2022/2023 to 12% during 2023/2024, which is more 120 000 students, a sign that “the president of the Republic’s guidelines are beginning to bear fruit, encouraging student to carry the torch and honour Algeria.”
For Professor Fethi Yousfi, director of the Institute of Physical Education and sports, University of Algiers 3, this meeting allows the discovery of a new mode of university sports practice by joining the efforts of the sub-directions in charge of the animation of sports life within the university and all university institutions and services.
A member of the ministerial committee, in charge of the development and promotion of university sports, Mr. Yousfi said all participants will work to encourage the directors of university institutions across the country to create sports clubs for the development and promotion of university sports with an emphasis on basic training.
For his part, the director of the Institute of Physical Education and University Sports at the University of Bouira stated that the university sport is on the right track, and this meeting is an opportunity to promote university sport, and to benefit the students for whom we endeavour to provide all the favourable conditions for sports practice both inside and outside university residences and attract other university sports associations.