The Haut Conseil de la Communauté Scientifique Nationale à l’Étranger in Algeria has started its operational phase. The council's first meeting was held in Algiers, presided over by Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Kamel Baddari. The meeting was attended by the council's coordinator, Professor Elias Zerhouni. This marks a significant step in utilizing the expertise of Algerian scientists abroad for national development priorities.
The Haut Conseil was established by presidential decree on September 7, 2026, and is a consultative body under the President of the Republic. It aims to mobilize the expertise of Algerian scientific communities abroad to support national development. The council has its own legal personality and financial autonomy. Its primary goal is to structure the contribution of the diaspora scientific community to Algeria's development.
During the meeting, Minister Kamel Baddari emphasized the need for a sustainable partnership between Algerian scientists abroad and the country. He highlighted the importance of moving beyond sporadic initiatives and contacts to build a lasting collaboration in higher education, scientific research, innovation, and modern technologies. The council will provide scientific and technological advice on national development axes and propose projects of national importance.
The Haut Conseil will also promote knowledge exchange, strategic monitoring in advanced technologies, and scientific dialogue between Algeria and international networks. The council's structure includes a General Assembly, a bureau, specialized commissions, and a secretariat. The General Assembly will meet regularly, and members can participate via videoconference due to their geographical dispersion.
The first meeting focused on the council's internal regulations, the establishment of specialized commissions, and the development of an annual work plan. The council's recommendations, studies, and reports will inform public decisions in scientific and technological fields. The goal is to leverage Algerian expertise abroad to drive national development through knowledge transfer, project accompaniment, and researcher networking.
The council's creation follows a meeting in June that brought together 31 Algerian scientists and researchers abroad. The new body is expected to transform the presence of high-level Algerian competencies abroad into structured cooperation networks. These networks will support national priorities in research, innovation, digital transformation, and technological development.
One of the council's first actions was to examine the "TIVES" project, which focuses on educational virtual systems. The project, launched in June, works on artificial intelligence, specialized databases, and virtual educational applications. It is a partnership between the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Ministry of Health, and the Elias Zerhouni and FOREM foundations.
Key points
- The Haut Conseil de la Communauté Scientifique Nationale à l’Étranger aims to mobilize Algerian scientific expertise abroad for national development priorities.
