Three Tunisian PhD Students Selected to Pursue Research at Oxford University
Three Tunisian PhD students have been selected, out of 69 candidates, to pursue their research at Oxford University as part of a new initiative launched by Hazem Ben-Gacem, founder of the first Harvard office in the Arab world, located in Tunisia. This initiative demonstrates Ben-Gacem's deep commitment to education and the future of young people.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Higher Education, the three selected students specialize in the field of humanities and social sciences:
- Oumaima Bouazi, PhD student at the Higher School of Sciences and Technologies of Design (Essted) in La Manouba.
- Donia Hafedh, PhD student at the Faculty of Letters and Humanities in Sfax (Flshs).
- Ayoub Majri, PhD student at the Higher Institute of Management (ISG Tunis).
Continuity of the Program
As part of this program, professors employed by a Tunisian university will be invited to spend a trimester at St Antony's College. They can specialize in any field of humanities and social sciences and will have the opportunity to either teach or pursue their research. Each trimester, one professor will be selected starting from the 2025 academic year, as explained by Ben-Gacem.
Additional Dimension for Visiting Researchers
The program also includes another dimension dedicated to visiting researchers, which involves granting annual scholarships to Oxford University academics. These scholarships will enable beneficiaries to conduct research in Tunisia, exchange ideas during conferences and seminars at Tunisian universities, and contribute to joint research projects. This initiative aims to enrich high-quality research applied to the Tunisian context.
Language Learning Component
It is also planned that these students will learn Arabic and Tunisian dialect.