VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTU #0869/01 3291632
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251632Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7011
INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS TUNIS 000869 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR ECA--DONNA IVES; OES; NEA/PPD; NEA/MAG 
PLEASE ALSO PASS TO PEACE CORPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO SCUL TSPL TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIAN MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION RECEPTIVE TO 
THEMES IN THE SECRETARY'S MARRAKESH SPEECH 
 
REF: TUNIS 860 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  (SBU) Dr. Lazhar Bououni, the Tunisian Minister of Higher 
Education, voiced his support for many of the themes in the 
Secretary,s Marrakesh speech (including the visit of a 
Presidential Science Envoy) when he met with the Ambassador 
on November 25.  In addition to science and technology, the 
Minister stressed that English-language instruction in 
Tunisia was sorely in need of expansion, and was receptive to 
the possibility of resuming a Peace Crops program in Tunisia. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  In response to the Ambassador,s request for swift 
and positive action on the research topics of four Fulbright 
doctoral students, the Minister was positive and said he 
would have an answer within a few days.  He also expressed 
willingness to reconsider the general deadlines for 
submitting doctoral dissertation topics for review.  The 
Minister and the Ambassador also discussed the 2004 Agreement 
on Science and Technology Cooperation, new areas of emphasis 
in Tunisia's higher education plan, areas for possible 
cooperation between the two countries, and the problem of 
impeded Embassy access to campuses.  End summary. 
 
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The Secretary,s Marrakesh Speech 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  In the course of the conversation, the Minister 
of Higher Education voiced his support for many of the themes 
the Secretary sounded in her November 3 speech in Marrakesh. 
He particularly emphasized the importance of English-language 
instruction and science and technology.  When the Ambassador 
noted plans to send a Presidential Science Envoy, Dr. Elias 
Zerhouni, to Tunisia in the next few months, the Minister 
replied that he had met him before, that he was held in high 
respect in Tunisia, and that he was looking forward to 
conferring with him. 
 
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Importance of English Language Instruction 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Bououni mentioned that English-language 
instruction was receiving enormous emphasis and that a 
requirement of five semesters of English over a period of 
three years has been made a requirement for a degree in all 
disciplines, at all universities.  He hoped that the details 
for cooperation in this area could be worked out in further 
meetings between our "teams."  The Ambassador asked about the 
possibility of re-introducing the Peace Corps, which had done 
much English teaching in Tunisia, and the Minister said that 
he would reflect on the idea after discussing it with his 
staff.  If the Peace Corps were to return, he said he would 
want them to teach English for special purposes, keyed to 
particular fields, again saying that this was something that 
"our teams" could work out.  The Minister parenthetically 
remarked that the three "Language Village" programs that 
AMIDEAST has been conducting with financial support from the 
Embassy and expertise from the Regional English Language 
Officer in Rabat was a huge success and that he welcomed this 
sort of immersion language program. 
 
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Fulbright Program 
----------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The Ambassador explained that we have been having 
difficulties administering the Fulbright program, and 
presented the Minister with a list of the four Fulbrighters 
currently in country whose research plans are on hold.  The 
Minister said he would "have an answer for us about their 
status in two or three days."  (Comment:  We will follow up 
on November 30, after the conclusion of the Eid Al-Adha 
holiday.  End comment.) 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Ambassador also raised the problem of 
unrealistic deadlines set by the Ministry for approving 
Fulbright dissertation topics and asked that the deadline be 
re-set to November 30.  Although the Minister expressed 
willingness to reconsider these details, he indicated that 
this matter was tied more to the calendar of the universities 
that host the doctoral candidates than to any instructions on 
the part of the Ministry.  He indicated that this issue could 
be reviewed in upcoming discussions, however, but was 
 
confident that some adjustment might be reached. (See reftel 
for more details about the deadline problem.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The Minister remarked that currently, academic 
exchanges are mainly limited to the Fulbright program but 
that he would like to see an expansion of exchanges with more 
students involved (he mentioned at the B.A., M.A., and Ph.D 
candidate levels) and the opportunity to study in each 
other's country.  He also mentioned that Tunisia was reaching 
out to other countries for educational expertise, naming 
Canada, Japan, China and South Korea.  He saw a "very, very 
urgent need" for other countries to play a role in Tunisia's 
educational development plans.  Among these was a desire to 
expand the number of Tunisian engineers from about 4,500 
today to 9,000 by 2014. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Bououni expounded on the power of educational 
exchanges to build closer interpersonal understanding between 
the populations of different countries and said that this wa 
particularly important in the post-9/11 world t reduce the 
possibility of a "clash of civilizations."  "We are both 
peace-loving countries," he continued and, "our 
intelligentsias need to build more bridges."  "Americans 
should come to Tunis to do research and learn Arabic; 
Tunisians need to live in America and earn diplomas." 
 
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Overview of Higher Education in Tunisia 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Dr. Bououni referred to a major educational 
initiatie in progress, saying that the United States and 
Tunisia have cooperated a great deal in education, but that 
they could do more.  He mentioned that the current tempo of 
American academic interactions was insufficient to address 
adequately the big plans that Tunis had for the next five 
years.  Among these was the opening of "techno-parks" or 
regional research and training centers focusing on such areas 
as computer science, information technology, alternative 
energy, environment issues, and bio-tech.  The Minister said 
that Tunisia was remarkably well-developed from the point of 
view of higher education, citing 370,000 students in 
universities country-wide, at 13 universities (including one 
distance-learning based virtual university) and 32 research 
centers, some of which were well-known abroad.  The new 
"techno-parks" were an addition to this slate and the 
Minister mentioned that he would be eager to see what America 
could do to help. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
U.S.-Tunisian Science and Technology Agreement 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶10.  (SBU) The Ambassador noted that there was already an 
agreement between the countries on scientific cooperation 
signed in 2004 that had never been ratified by Tunisia.  He 
stressed that rather than negotiate a new agreement, the 
existing one should serve as a basis for further discussion, 
adding that a senior American delegation on science and 
technology was prepared to come to Tunisia in the next few 
months.  He also noted the possibility of adding additional 
items of cooperation as an annex.  The Minister said that 
adjustments to the existing agreement were possible and that 
he would welcome such a delegation.  After the meeting 
concluded, the Minister,s chief of staff asked the 
Ambassador when the U.S. delegation could visit Tunisia; the 
Ambassador replied that he understood that a visit in the 
first quarter of 2010 was under consideration but it would be 
helpful to know early which dates worked for the Ministry. 
 
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Access Issues 
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¶11.  (SBU) The Ambassador explained that while the United 
States definitely is eager to cooperate, the current problems 
Embassy officers have in obtaining timely permission to visit 
campuses (i.e., submission of a diplomatic note to the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for every appointment) works 
against their being able to cooperate to the degree necessary 
to implement the terms of any agreement.  The Minister said 
he understood the point and that he would try to do something 
to resolve the problem.  The Ambassador also raised the 
problem of limited access to the Ministry's Agency for the 
Promotion of Research and Innovation, which is partnering 
with the Commercial Law Development Program at the Department 
of Commerce on a technical assistance program. 
 
GRAY