Brussels, 02/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Algerian minister for higher education and scientific research has officially launched the country's support and accompaniment programme, which has the backing of the EU. An APS press release in Algiers explained that “the Algerian government and European Union have given more than €38 million to the support and accompaniment programme for higher education sector policy in Algeria”. “The department of higher education will provide €17.1 million and the EU, €21.5 million, a total of €38.6 million” for the period for carrying out the programme, which will continue until 2016. University academics and European experts are expected to monitor the programme's implementation.
During the funding ceremony, Laura Baeza, the EU's delegate to Algiers, pointed out that “Algeria and the European Union signed a funding agreement on 6 June 2010 for this ambitious bilateral programme, which complements other activities already receiving European Union support in the education sector.” She also indicated that during the very recent visit of the commissioner for neighbourhood policy, Stefan Füle, another funding agreement had also been signed, as part of the scientific and technological cooperation initiative. Baeza explained that “in this sector, two 36-month long programmes have been up and running since November 2011. One receives support from INRAA, the National Agronomic Research Institute (FAWIRA) and the other receives support from the Silicium Technology Development Unit (NASERA). Since 2002, Algeria has benefited from support from the TEMPUS programme, whose fourth phase has been extended from 2008 to 2013, with total funding of between €35 and 39 million a year (IEVP). Since last year, the national Tempus office has officially been in operation and will now benefit from a status that will enable it to receive European Commission funding from the agency in charge of education issues, EACEA.” (FB/transl.fl)