Mr. Kamel Baddari, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, carried out a working and inspection visit to the wilaya of Ouargla on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

At the beginning of his visit, he inspected the project for a university hub with a capacity of 6,000 pedagogical seats in the wilaya’s facilities zone. This strategic project represents a major lever for strengthening the higher education sector in the region, providing significant added value to the University of Ouargla in terms of expanding its intake capacity and improving study and research conditions.

The project aims to equip the university with modern teaching spaces and integrated scientific infrastructure aligned with the requirements of scientific research and technological development. It will contribute to raising the standard of academic training and encouraging excellence and innovation among students. It will also strengthen the University of Ouargla’s position at the regional, national, and international levels, while boosting local economic and scientific activity through the attraction of students, faculty members, and research projects.

Within this framework, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the Higher Teachers’ Training School, with a capacity of 2,000 pedagogical seats. This project is considered a key pillar in achieving sustainable development and building a society based on knowledge and learning.

The Minister also inaugurated the headquarters of the one-stop shop at the House of Artificial Intelligence at Kasdi Merbah University. This organizational mechanism aims to bring together the various administrations and services concerned with student project holders, ensuring simplified and smooth administrative and technical support. It will unify file processing procedures, reduce bureaucratic steps, and accelerate the review of applications, thereby fostering a university environment conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship.

The one-stop shop also serves as a guidance and information space, providing students with access to support, funding, and mentoring mechanisms to help them transform their ideas into viable projects, in line with the university’s vision to promote entrepreneurship and strengthen its role in economic and social development.

On this occasion, the following actions were carried out:

• The establishment of ten (10) start-ups and the inauguration of their headquarters;
• The launch of a fourth-generation Artificial Intelligence laboratory project;
• The commissioning of a business incubator established in partnership with SLB;
• The inauguration of a fabrication laboratory (Fablab);
• A visit to the museum of petroleum industry equipment.

The Minister and the accompanying delegation also visited the digital center dedicated to people with special needs, attended a training session at the Entrepreneurship Development Center, inaugurated the subsidiary “University of Ouargla for Quality and Audit,” as well as a research laboratory in intellectual and industrial property. He also toured the exhibition organized on this occasion, which showcased student projects.

Under the slogan “One Tree for Every Student,” the Minister launched a project to plant 27,000 trees at the University of Ouargla.

During a meeting with the university community, he listened to their concerns and proposals, reaffirming his ministry’s commitment to supporting the university and improving the quality of education and scientific research.

Furthermore, Mr. Kamel Baddari presided over the signing ceremony of cooperation and partnership agreements between the university and seven oil and energy companies operating in the region, as part of the university’s openness to its economic environment.

These agreements, concluded with the National Well Works Company, the National Drilling Company, the National Geophysics Company, the National Well Services Company, as well as Baker Hughes, TotalEnergies Algeria, and SLB, aim to support applied training and promote scientific research, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence and manufacturing, in line with labor market requirements. The ceremony was held in the main lecture halls of Kasdi Merbah University.

Finally, the Minister launched the digital quality platform “ISO 9001” version 2015 and honored the graduates of the fifth class of the Faculty of Medicine of Ouargla, along with a group of students and the team of the digital center for people with special needs, in recognition of their efforts.