Leading academics and business figures gathered in Fez this week for the inaugural International Conference on Management, Innovation, and Finance (MIF 2025), a new initiative aimed at connecting academic research with real-world economic challenges.
The two-day event, co-organized by the Private University of Fez and Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, brought together finance professors, digital experts, and young researchers to discuss topics ranging from fintech to climate finance.
“MIF 2025 is a platform for dialogue, critical thinking, and collective construction around the major economic challenges of our time,” said Safae Ismaili, a lecturer and researcher specializing in finance. “The ambition behind this conference is quite clear: to create a genuine link between academic research and real-world application, between universities and businesses, between ideas and concrete action.”
The conference comes at a strategic moment as Morocco works to modernize its economy and attract green investment. Panels explored digital transformation, sustainable finance, and low-carbon policies—all priorities for Morocco’s economic development agenda.
Pascal Nguyen, a finance professor from the University of Montpellier and keynote speaker at the event, expressed optimism about Morocco’s trajectory. “I’m genuinely impressed by the quality of the organization and the caliber of the speakers. There’s an abundance of highly qualified young people… I feel Morocco has a very bright future,” he told Morocco World News.
Nguyen, who co-leads a program on green finance, addressed corporate sustainability challenges during his presentation. “The question is: why do firms often make the wrong choices? Why do they pursue investments and decisions that are unsustainable and trigger crises—whether social, financial, or economic?”
The conference highlighted Morocco’s positioning as an emerging hub for innovation and sustainable finance in Africa. As the country pursues ambitious economic modernization plans and seeks to attract international investment in green technologies, events like MIF 2025 serve as important forums for knowledge exchange and partnership development.
“Morocco is in motion,” concluded Dr. Ismaili, reflecting the country’s dynamic approach to economic transformation and financial innovation.
