On 22 September 2025, Mr. Kamel Baddari, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, oversaw the opening ceremony marking the start of the academic year 2025/2026, at the “Ahmed Yahia El Wancharissi” University in Tissemsilt. The event was attended by the governor, the president of the People’s Provincial Assembly, judicial, security, and military authorities, representatives of civil society, the accompanying delegation from the Ministry’s central administration, presidents of regional conferences, heads of university institutions and, members of the academic community. Notably noteworthy that the opening ceremony was held both in person and remotely with all educational institutions across the country.
The University of “Ahmed Ben Yahia El Wancharissi” of Tissemsilt has more than 8,300 students, including 1,880 new ones. Additionally, new specialisations have been introduced, such as “Entrepreneurship and Innovation”, “Artificial Intelligence”, and “Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences”. The university has also benefited from an annex of the Higher School of Teachers, which has welcomed 121 new students, 102 of which in the primary school teaching and 19 in middle school.
The minister opened the session with an intellectual contribution titled “The Role of Higher Education and its Significance in the Transition Process Towards a Promising Economy.” In this contribution, he emphasised that “the Algerian university is not only an academic institution for education, but also the beating heart of local and national development, through creativity and by disseminating and promoting knowledge in its lecture halls and research laboratories, with the aim of realising the prosperity and wellbeing for the Algerian people.”
He added that « this new academic year, inaugurated at Tissemsilt University, the region with rich historical and military tradition, is not just an administrative date in the higher education sector’s calendar, but a date for a victorious Algeria, which landmarks have been raised by the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who consistently reaffirms his support for the Algerian university, through the steady and calm implementations of reforms.”
Mr. Kamel Baddari has also oversaw the signing ceremony of several agreements, including:
 An agreement between the “Ahmed Ben Yahia El Wancharissi” University, and the Research Unit in Medicinal Plants (URPM) in Laghouat;
 A partnership and cooperation agreement between the “Ahmed Ben Yahia El Wancharissi” University and the National Agency for the Valorisation of Research and Technological Development (ANVREDET).

The Minister, accompanied by the Governor of the Province and his delegation, also visited the exhibitions held for the occasion. It included:
 An exhibition of medicinal plants by the Institute of Nature and Life Sciences;
 An exhibition by the Unite and the Research Centre CRAPC;
 An exhibition of innovative projects and micro-enterprises by some students.

During the ceremony of the new academic year, professor Zebbar Djalel, the Director of the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory at Tissemsilt University was recognised for obtaining a patent. Several doctoral students were also honoured, and the “Innovative Researcher” award was presented to the best professor-researcher.
During his visit to the Province of Tissemsilt, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research inaugurated the annex of the Higher School of Teachers, and inspected two housing projects for the sector’s employees, as well as the new headquarters of the central administration.