Programs & Exchanges

The Programs and Exchanges Unit oversees a broad range of academic, professional and cultural exchanges in Morocco. The primary goal of this division is to support well-conceived activities that lead toward better understanding between the Moroccan and American peoples.

Contacting the Programs & Exchanges Unit

Programs & Exchanges Unit 
Public Affairs Section (PAS)
Embassy of the United States
2, Avenue Mohammed El Fassi, Rabat
Tel: 0537-66-82-00
Fax: 0537-66-82-84

Programs

In the creative arts, American performers and cultural specialists are occasionally invited or co-sponsored by the Programs and Exchanges Unit. Such performers and specialists are recruited from the U.S. (through the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs "ECA"), from Europe or neighboring countries, either in response to a Moroccan organization request or if the Public Affairs Section identifies a particular need that corresponds to larger bilateral goals. U.S. music groups, performers and arts specialists are typically programmed in cooperation with Moroccan festival organizers, NGO's, universities, theaters, museums and performing arts academies. U.S. specialists, ideally conversant in Arabic or French, are often requested to provide training and workshops for Moroccan counterparts.

In the academic and scientific fields, the Programs and Exchanges Unit (along with other staff in the Public Affairs Section) sponsors short visits to Morocco by American speakers and experts in fields such as U.S. foreign policy, education, public administration, economics, democratization, English teaching (American Language Centers), and the environment. Such speakers are typically recruited out of ECA's bureau in Washington, but may also be programmed directly with the Public Affairs Section if they are already in country. U.S. speakers and specialists lecture in French or Arabic, participate in local round tables and conferences, give interviews to the media and engage in substantive discussions with Moroccan counterparts.

The Public Affairs Section maintains a supply of educational posters or "paper shows" which are either loaned or donated to Moroccan institutions or used as back-drops for larger programs, such as book fairs and trade exhibits.

Exchanges

The Exchange Unit oversees a series of ECA-funded exchange programs such as the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) which brings Moroccan professionals to the U.S. for three weeks of exposure to the U.S. society. Other exchange programs focus more precisely on young leaders, journalists, or NGO leaders. These programs help make bridges and foster mutual understanding between the American and Moroccan people. Moroccan people who are not selected for an exchange program, or who cannot spare three weeks away from their job are often considered for a Volontary Visitor grant. In this case, the Exchange Unit assists in developing a 2-10 day program for these Moroccans traveling to the U.S. on their own.

The Moroccan American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (MACECE) in Rabat, operating in part under a grant from the ECA Fulbright Program, provides scholarships and research fellowships to qualified Americans and Moroccans. The Program and Exchanges Unit provides some facilitative assistance to MACECE in its administration of Fulbright and Humphrey grants. It also maintains U.S. Embassy links with AMIDEAST, the American Cultural Association (ACA), the American Institute for Maghrebi Studies (AIMS), the Tangier American Legation Museum (TALM) , U.S.-style Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane and the Arabic Language Institute in Fes (ALIF).

English Teaching Programs

The Programs and Exchanges Unit supports and promotes the teaching of English as a foreign language in Morocco through support to teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Morocco.

Following are some links of interest to TEFL professionals:

• Resources for Students and Teachers of English as a Second Language
• Office of English Language Programs, Department of State
• Test of English as a Foreign Language

Attestation of Accreditation

The Programs and Exchanges Unit has relocated the issuance of certificates of accreditations and degrees equivalencies from the American Universities to AMIDEAST since March 1st, 2003. Moroccan students graduates from accredited U.S. universities who needs certificate equivalencies should contact AMIDEAST at the following address:

AMIDEAST
35, Rue Oukaimeden, Agdal, Rabat
Telephone: (212)-537-67-50-82/ 37-67-50-81/
37-67-50-75
Fax: (212) 537-67-50-74
E-mail: Morocco@amideast.org