The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Tunisia has restarted the process of revising the special status of university professors. This move comes after several years of debate and proposals. The revision could provide an opportunity for collective reflection on the future of Tunisia's university system. The current status, governed by decree n° 93-1825 of September 6, 1993, has become outdated due to changes in higher education.
The landscape of higher education in Tunisia has undergone significant changes since the decree was adopted. The sector has expanded, with diversified training programs, internationalized research, and increased requirements for supervision, evaluation, and scientific cooperation. Despite these changes, the statutory framework still favors a relatively uniform conception of the profession, with teaching being the most easily identifiable and quantifiable activity.
Professor Moncef Ben Slimane argues that the revision should not be limited to regulatory adjustments or administrative consultations. Instead, it should rethink the roles of university professors, their working conditions, and the governance of Tunisian universities. The current status has not kept pace with the diversification of activities, including designing and accrediting training programs, directing research laboratories, and participating in international programs.
The existing statutory framework results in a paradoxical situation where university professors can have significantly different workloads but are subject to the same remuneration and statutory obligations. A professor who works only one morning a week is considered to be in compliance with the status and decree, just like a colleague who works five days a week. This raises questions about recognition, equity, and the valorization of competencies.
A coherent reform should start with a new definition of the university professor's role, based on the recognition of the diversity of their activities. Professor Ben Slimane proposes organizing university missions around three complementary components: pedagogical training and supervision, research and scientific valorization, and the management and animation of the university community.
To implement this approach, Professor Ben Slimane suggests introducing a common statutory basis, referred to as a "Smig académique," which would define a set of minimal professional obligations common to all university professors. These obligations would include effective participation in training activities, scientific life, and the functioning of their institution. Additional activities would be identified in national mission grids, distributed among the three main components.
The reform should also consider the financial implications and the diversification of professional paths without creating new inequalities. Any reform that introduces new missions without providing corresponding human and financial resources risks reproducing current imbalances. The recognition of the diversity of university professors' activities should have consequences for working conditions, remuneration, and career advancement prospects.
Key points
- A new definition of the university professor's role is needed, based on the recognition of the diversity of their activities.
- The introduction of a "Smig académique" could provide a common statutory basis for university professors.
- The reform should consider the financial implications and the diversification of professional paths.
