UNIVERSITE MOHAMMED V DE RABAT

Their core work

Université Mohammed V de Rabat is Morocco's leading public university, contributing scientific expertise across a remarkably broad range of disciplines — from solar cell technologies and atmospheric chemistry to migration studies and cultural heritage. In H2020, the university primarily participates through MSCA staff exchange programs, sending and receiving researchers for international mobility in materials science, photovoltaics, environmental monitoring, and social sciences. Their real-world contribution lies in providing North African research perspectives and regional field access that European consortia cannot easily obtain otherwise, whether that means atmospheric measurements in the Maghreb region, migration fieldwork in sending communities, or truffle biodiversity studies.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2016–2018), the university focused squarely on materials science and energy technologies — kesterite thin films, additive manufacturing of ceramics, and photovoltaic system optimization. From 2019 onward, the portfolio shifted dramatically toward social sciences and humanities: migration governance, radicalization studies, Jewish-Muslim cultural interactions, and agricultural biodiversity. This pivot suggests the university broadened its EU engagement beyond its engineering departments to include strong social science and humanities faculties.

The university is diversifying away from its initial STEM-only H2020 profile toward interdisciplinary work combining social, cultural, and environmental themes — expect future proposals in areas where North African regional expertise adds unique value.

How they like to work

UM5 Rabat has never coordinated an H2020 project — all 9 participations are as partner or third party, with 6 of the 9 being third-party roles in MSCA-RISE staff exchanges. This means they typically join large, mobility-oriented consortia rather than leading research agendas. With 116 unique partners across 33 countries, they are well-networked but spread thin; they are a flexible contributor who adds regional expertise rather than driving project direction.

Impressively wide network for a non-coordinator: 116 unique partners spanning 33 countries, reflecting the large MSCA-RISE consortia they participate in. Their geographic reach extends well beyond the Euro-Mediterranean corridor into a genuinely global spread of collaborators.

What sets them apart

As Morocco's flagship university, UM5 Rabat offers something few European partners can: direct access to North African research environments, field sites, and societal contexts. For projects studying Mediterranean atmospheric chemistry, Maghreb migration patterns, or North African biodiversity, they are an essential regional anchor. Their breadth — spanning solar cells, social sciences, and agricultural biodiversity — makes them a versatile associated partner for consortia needing credible non-EU participation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SUPER PV
  Their largest funded participation (EUR 208,725) and the only project where they were a full participant in energy research, working on cost-efficient c-Si photovoltaic systems.
• INFINITE-CELL
  Six-year project on next-generation kesterite/c-Si tandem solar cells — directly relevant to the global push for affordable thin-film photovoltaics.
• AGRUMIG
  Brought a rare 'sending community' perspective to EU migration research, studying how labour migration reshapes agriculture and rural life in origin countries like Morocco.