ICESCO Chair "Women in Science, AI and Futures": Coding Bootcamps for girls from the Guelmim-Oued Noun region

An initiative led by the ICESCO Chair “Women in Science: Artificial Intelligence and Futures” at Euromed University of Fes open to 100 girls aged between 7 and 10 in collaboration with the Regional Academy of Education and Training of the Guelmim-Oued Noun Region.

The ICESCO Chair “Women in Science: Artificial Intelligence and Future” at Euromed University of Fes is organizing two Bootcamps in the Guelmim region on February 26 and 27 at the El Waha and 3 Mars primary schools.

"Inspiring young women to become the AI leaders of tomorrow" is the title of this first edition which aims to encourage girls to orient themselves towards studies in digital engineering and artificial intelligence by presenting current topics related to STEM, such as machine learning, data science, IoT and various technological infrastructures in a different, informal and playful way.

As digital technology becomes part of our daily lives, Pr. Maha Gmira, holder of the chair, a recognized expert in AI and a lecturer at the School of Digital Engineering and Artificial Intelligence at UEMF, is doing everything possible to design tailored training programs and enable girls to learn not only to code but to develop critical thinking, curiosity and creativity.

The goal of initiatives like the AI Bootcamp is to reduce, if not eliminate, the gender gap in technology, because we cannot afford for about half of the world’s population to be excluded from the digital transformation,” confirms Pr. Maha Gmira. She also emphasizes that digital inclusion and literacy offer the possibility of better remuneration for women and help strengthen, through the transversal dimension of artificial intelligence, the change already undertaken by girls and women worldwide in key areas such as gender equality and climate action.

Encouraged by the mission of the ICESCO Chair “Women in Science: Artificial Intelligence and Future,” Pr. Maha Gmira intends, through innovative pedagogical actions among others, to expand knowledge and facilitate orientation choices. For her, age is a decisive factor in orientation choices. It is therefore essential to act early in the school curriculum to inform, raise awareness, encourage and make information accessible to girls across the Kingdom.