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Rabat is one of Morocco’s “imperial cities,” as well as its political capital. It is home to the leading educational institutions in the country and offers students opportunities to move from the shops and cafes of the modern city to the narrow streets and exciting markets of the old medina in a few minutes’ walk.
The AMIDEAST Honors Program in North African Studies is designed to provide exceptional students the opportunity to delve deeply into serious study of the Maghrib, under the mentorship of prominent scholars in the field. Students who are looking for a challenging and rewarding study abroad experience will benefit from the research, extensive reading, and language-intensive structure of the program. Offered in collaboration with the American Institute for Maghrib Studies (AIMS), the Honors Program is intended for academically motivated students with a demonstrated interest in Middle East and North African studies who are prepared to undertake significant research while abroad. Participants must have completed at least one year of college-level Arabic, and preference in the admissions process will be given to students who also have some knowledge of French.
The Honors Program includes a reading seminar on North Africa led by scholars from the U.S., Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia; a research seminar in which students are expected to produce a piece of original research; and semi-intensive instruction in Modern Standard Arabic and Moroccan Arabic. Students in the program live either with Arabic-speaking Moroccan families or in a private Moroccan student residence hall and attend their classes both at AMIDEAST’s facilities in the bustling Agdal area of the city and on the campus of AMIDEAST’s partner, the College of Letters and Humanities of Mohammed V University – Agdal, near the Royal Palace. The program will be led in 2010–2011 by Dr. Amal Rassam, Professor Emerita of Anthropology at Queens College of the City University of New York and well-known specialist in North African studies. Some seminar sessions will be led by other English-speaking faculty drawn from Mohammed V University – Agdal, other Moroccan universities, and universities in Algeria and Tunisia.
Students in the AMIDEAST Honors Program in North African Studies carry a 16 credit hour load each semester. All students enroll in Modern Standard Arabic, Media Arabic and Moroccan Arabic, in addition to the two seminars specific to the Honors program. All courses are taught exclusively for the AMIDEAST program, and students take classes only with other program participants.
The core of the AMIDEAST Honors Program in North African Studies consists of two seminar style courses.
This is an intensive reading seminar organized around a series of topics focusing on the contemporary Maghrib (19th–21st centuries). Students are expected to read one book (or its equivalent) each week in English, French and/or Arabic, depending on individual student language abilities. The seminar is coordinated by a senior American scholar of the region, selected jointly by AMIDEAST and the American Institute of Maghrib Studies (AIMS); the scholar for the 2010–2011 academic year will be Dr. Amal Rassam. Individual sessions will be led by the senior scholar and/or scholars from the Maghrib countries when the topic is in their area of expertise. Students will write a series of short papers on their reading as it relates to the themes addressed in seminar sessions.
Students make initial research proposals as part of their application to the AMIDEAST Honors Program in North African Studies. In the Research Seminar in North African Studies, students then refine their proposals under the guidance of the senior scholar leading the seminar (Dr. Amal Rassam in 2010–2011). Once the proposal is finalized, program participants undertake the research, make periodic presentations to their colleagues and faculty, and produce a research paper to be published in an on-line journal produced by AMIDEAST and AIMS.
All students enroll in Modern Standard Arabic at a level appropriate to their proficiency, to be determined by the results of a placement exam administered during on-site orientation.
Moroccan Arabic instruction begins during on-site orientation and continues throughout the semester. Students are placed in classes (Arabic 211 or Arabic 311) appropriate to their previous knowledge of Arabic.
Media Arabic will focus on North African media and is taught at both the 200 and 300 levels.
This course is designed to reinforce all the linguistic skills at both the reception and production levels. Students will also gain broad exposure to many aspects of Arabic culture through integrated outings designed to provide opportunities for using Arabic in real-life contexts. The material covered in this course is from Al-Kitaab Part One, Chapters 19–20 and Al-Kitaab Part Two, Chapters 1–3. By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- use basic conversational tasks successfully in different social situations;
- understand and use basic grammatical rules;
- read texts of moderate length;
- extract the main ideas of non-technical texts;
- extract the main points in video materials and be able to discuss important ideas;
- demonstrate conversational skills using a variety of language functions (e.g., description, comparison, cause and effect, arguing for/against, etc.);
- engage in a variety of daily conversations;
- give short presentations on topics of interest;
- understand basic grammatical rules and structures in Modern Standard Arabic;
- converse in Arabic using a variety of language functions appropriate for their level; and
- acquire knowledge about major aspects of Arab and Islamic culture.
Primary textbooks for Arabic 201
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part One, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part Two, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
- Locally produced materials, selected by program faculty
This course is a continuation of Arabic 201. Course objectives are seen in terms of students performing linguistic tasks successfully, gaining self-confidence, and expanding their risk-taking in real-life communicative situations. This course covers the material in Al-Kitaab Part Two, Chapters 4–10. By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- guess the meaning of new words from contexts;
- use skimming and scanning techniques;
- write short paragraphs correctly;
- read authentic material from Arabic advertisements, short narratives, descriptions of people and places, simple contemporary poetry, topics on Arab culture, etc.;
- write both informal and formal letters;
- write medium-length compositions on familiar topics, including descriptions, short narratives, etc.;
- master and distinguish Arabic sentence structures;
- understand and construct simple paragraphs and simple texts;
- enrich their vocabulary;
- understand some Arabic spoken situations;
- read and understand short paragraphs and short texts;
- write correct sentences, paragraphs, and short texts; and
- begin to acquire more developed ideas about Arab and Islamic Culture.
Primary textbooks for Arabic 202
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part Two, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
- Audio-visual materials, texts selected by faculty from Arabic newspapers and magazines, etc.
This course is designed to move learners from a stage where they have achieved the basic grammatical skills, to being able to use language in a wider cultural context. At this stage, learners will be widely exposed to the main issues related to the Arab world and Moroccan culture. This course adopts a skill-based approach in which learners gain mastery of the language through the use of authentic materials taken from various sources. Teaching techniques are student-centered with the instructor as the facilitator, and the goal is to make students independent users of Arabic. Encounters with Arab professionals and visits to relevant institutions will be integrated in the syllabus. Evaluation will be based on both achievement of syllabus materials and success in out of the classroom tasks. This course covers the material in Al-Kitaab Part Three, Chapters 1–5. By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- understand more complex grammatical structures;
- listen to daily news, lectures, take notes, and make comments;
- describe elaborately things that are close to them;
- compare issues and show their preferences;
- express their own viewpoints and defend them; and
- exhibit appropriate linguistic behavior in various situations.
This course provides additional practice at the advanced level to help students attain a higher level of skill development (e.g., listening, speaking, reading and writing) and linguistic accuracy. This course covers the material in Al-Kitaab Part Three, Chapters 6–10. By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- expand essential vocabulary that helps them to engage on topics of professional interest;
- obtain information, understand the ideas presented in a text, discover the author’s point of view, and seek evidence for their point of view;
- enrich their grammatical knowledge and apply it as one of the analytical tools in comprehending texts;
- produce lengthy descriptive and argumentative discourse in speaking;
- summarize texts and express their points of view in writing and speaking; and
- interact with native speakers in discussions of contemporary issues.
Primary textbooks for Arabic 301 and Arabic 302
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part Three, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
- Audio-visual materials, texts selected by faculty from Arabic newspapers and magazines, etc.
In this course, students use authentic material from literature, academic research and the press to develop their abilities to extract essential information and identify linguistic nuances. Students are expected to produce papers in which they express their own assessment of the content and react to the form of the text and the position and arguments of the author. Students also are expected to be able to identify styles and produce texts demonstrating near-native competence.
- Teaching materials will consist of literature, texts, and materials assembled by faculty from Morocco and other parts of the Arab world.
Students who have already studied Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to words, expressions, and structures used frequently in everyday life in Morocco. Students practice in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Moroccans. By the end of the course, students are able to ask essential questions and understand the responses, express facts and opinions in simple as well as complex sentences, and engage in conversations in Moroccan Arabic with native speakers about non-academic topics. Living with a Moroccan family or in a student residence hall with Moroccan students provides daily opportunity for practice.
Students with a strong background in Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to vocabulary, expressions, and structures used frequently in Moroccan everyday life. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Moroccans. By the end of the course, students are able to ask questions and understand the responses, express facts and opinions in complex sentences, and engage in conversations in Moroccan Arabic with native speakers about a wide range of topics, both academic and non-academic. Living with a Moroccan family or in a student residence hall with Moroccan students provides daily opportunity for practice.
This course introduces students to the Arabic used in the media. The course is designed to assist students to read simple news items in newspapers from a variety of Arab countries; listen to and understand broadcast news; and understand the role of media in shaping Arab thought. All of the material used is authentic, with an emphasis on the Moroccan media.
This course exposes students to the Arabic used in the media. It focuses on mastering basic vocabulary commonly used in Arab print and electronic media, developing the ability to read and understand Arabic newspapers without using a dictionary, developing the ability to listen to radio and television news broadcasts, writing short summaries of news articles and broadcasts, and discussing current economic, political and social issues covered in the Arabic media. All of the material used is authentic, with an emphasis on the Moroccan media.
Dr. Amal Rassam is Professor Emerita of Anthropology at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Dr. Rassam is an Iraqi-American anthropologist whose academic career focuses on field research and teaching courses on the political culture of the Middle East, and the ethnic, religious, and tribal dynamics of Middle Eastern societies. Published works include a widely used textbook on the Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East, and a number of academic articles on gender politics, tribal organization, and minorities in the Arab world. Dr. Rassam’s research and work on development projects has taken her to a number of countries in the region, including Morocco, Iraq, Egypt and Yemen.
A university professor for over twenty years, Dr. Rassam has developed and taught courses on numerous aspects of the Middle East and North Africa to American graduate and undergraduate students. As a development consultant with a focus on gender issues and civil society, her skills include performing field surveys and identifying local organizations with potential to develop into viable and effective NGOs to represent the interests of citizens and provide local-level leadership. Mobilizing and training citizens to participate effectively in the political process both at the local and national levels, assessing non-governmental organizations and other civil associations to determine their efficacy in mainstreaming citizens into the political and economic life of their respective societies, and mentoring students are hallmarks of Dr. Rassam’s approach.
Amal Rassam earned her Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Michigan. Her dissertation, The Beni Mtir of the Middle Atlas: A Study in Moroccan Tribalism, is based on primary research in Morocco.
Spring 2011
Friday, January 7 |
Depart the U.S. |
Saturday, January 8 |
Arrive and check into hotel |
Sunday, January 9 |
Orientation begins |
Wednesday, January 12 |
Move in with host family |
Monday, January 17 |
Classes begin |
Friday, February 25 |
Prophet’s Birthday (no classes) |
Friday, May 6 |
Final day of classes |
May 9-13 |
Final exams |
Saturday, May 14 |
Depart Morocco |
The American Institute for Maghrib Studies (AIMS) was founded in 1984 to promote the study of North Africa among scholars, specialists, students, and others concerned with the region. AIMS sponsors The Journal of North African Studies (published by Francis and Taylor); publishes a biannual newsletter; sponsors annual academic conferences in North Africa; provides funding support for students and scholars to undertake research in the region; maintains overseas research centers in Tunis, Tunisia (CEMAT), Oran, Algeria (CEMA), and Tangier, Morocco (TALIM); hosts an annual advanced summer Arabic language program in Tangier; administers a yearly dissertation workshop for doctoral students; and provides other professional services to its members.
AIMS is a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC), which is housed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. It is the only CAORC affiliate that administers three overseas centers, covering an entire region.
Further information about AIMS and its activities can be found on its website at http://aimsnorthafrica.org.
The AMIDEAST Education Abroad partner in Rabat, Morocco, is Mohammed V University – Agdal.
Founded in 1917 in Rabat, Mohammed V University – Agdal is Morocco's most prestigious public university. It enrolls over 25,000 students in its various schools, including over 10,000 in its College of Letters and Humanities, where the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program is focused. Its faculty includes many of Morocco's pre-eminent scholars, while its students are among the most promising in the nation.
Mohammed V University – Agdal is an international academic leader committed to the global exchange of ideas and people. In particular, it participates in a wide variety of bilateral and multilateral research initiatives, hosts visiting scholars from throughout the world, and works cooperatively with several international organizations, most notably the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The university is also home to a growing number of international students, most of them from African and Asian countries.
AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program courses in Rabat are taught by a select group of Moroccan professors from the College of Letters and Humanities as well as others from other colleges of the university and from other institutions in Rabat and elsewhere in Morocco. Guest lectures by visiting scholars from Algeria and Tunisia will be arranged by AIMS. All have both fluency in English and experience teaching in English. Participating faculty earned post-graduate degrees at universities in North America and Europe or have spent extended periods at English-medium institutions as students, visiting faculty or visiting researchers.
More information about Mohammed V University – Agdal can be found on its website: http://www.um5a.ac.ma/en/
Upon arrival in Rabat, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program students participate in an in-depth, week-long orientation designed to introduce them to Moroccan culture and daily life, and familiarize them with the logistics of the program. During orientation students also are introduced to the principles of intercultural communication. Students stay in a hotel in central Rabat during orientation, and move to their accommodation for the semester at the end of the first week. The orientation combines structured informational sessions with organized activities and free time to familiarize participants with the city of Rabat. Topics such as safety and health, family life in Morocco, cultural adjustment, program regulations, participant responsibilities and other essential information are all discussed during orientation. During the on-site orientation students also meet their professors, take language placement tests, and become familiar with the program’s IT environment.
Students enrolled in the AMIDEAST Honors Program in North African Studies in Rabat, Morocco, have a choice of living arrangements and meal plans.
Living with a Moroccan Family: Students who select this option will live with a Moroccan family that has been carefully screened by AMIDEAST/Morocco. Students usually are placed with families who have previous experience hosting American students through AMIDEAST. Few, if any, families speak English. Most host family members speak Arabic as a first language and also speak French; a small number of family members speak Spanish or Amazigh (Berber) as well. AMIDEAST matches students with host families using a variety of criteria. While all placement preferences may not be met in every case, AMIDEAST will strive to make the best match to ensure a rewarding and pleasant living experience. In the event of a problem, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program staff members will be available either to mediate or to arrange a new host family placement. Students living with host families will be provided with all meals by their host families but may find that some days it is not possible to return to the family for lunch because of class schedules.
Living in a student residence with a Moroccan roommate: Students who select this option will live in a private Moroccan student residence hall that opened in 2007. Each double room has a private bathroom and toilet, small refrigerator and cooking facilities, and internet access. There are separate buildings for male and female students, and strict gender segregation is enforced. The residence hall is located in the university quarter of the city and students living there should expect to take public transportation to and from classes. A student cafeteria is located across the street and students may eat there, prepare their own meals in their rooms, or eat in restaurants. Please note that the availability of residence hall rooms is limited; therefore, AMIDEAST cannot guarantee that students who select this option can be placed there. Students who are not assigned a residence hall room will be placed with host families.
In addition to the academic program, the AMIDEAST Honors Program in North African Studies offers a variety of additional learning opportunities to enhance participants' study abroad experience:
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Civil Society: Students will encounter a variety of Moroccan civil society organizations ranging from political and human rights groups to women’s organizations to sports clubs. AMIDEAST will organize special activities to facilitate student connections to these organizations.
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Service learning: AMIDEAST coordinates organized service-learning projects either for individual students or for larger groups. With many connections to a wide range of organizations in Morocco, AMIDEAST can adapt projects to individual student interests to ensure a unique and satisfying service-learning experience.
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Cross-cultural learning: AMIDEAST and Mohammed V University – Agdal organize a variety of cross-cultural learning opportunities. Ranging from meet-and-greets to formal presentations, these events give participants the chance to interact with Moroccan students, to learn more about Morocco, and to introduce others to American culture.
AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Rabat students participate in three program-organized excursions outside of Rabat to visit major cities and historical sites in Morocco. The excursions are coordinated by AMIDEAST/Morocco in conjunction with the program’s academic staff from Mohammed V University – Agdal and are led by a member of the faculty. Organized activities are combined with limited free time, allowing students to explore independently within a safe and structured framework. Planned program excursions include the following:
- Three days/two nights in Marrakesh
- Three days/two nights in and around Fez
- Three days/two nights in northern Morocco
There is also an optional excursion (at additional cost) to the desert (including one night in tents in the dunes).
American citizens must present a valid passport, but they are not required to obtain a visa to travel to Morocco. Visitors may remain in Morocco for up to three months, after which time they must leave the country or apply for a residency permit. AMIDEAST will coordinate the visa extension process when necessary.
Citizens of other countries should check with AMIDEAST during the application process to ascertain what visa requirements they may need to fulfill.
The program is managed by AMIDEAST/Morocco in conjunction with AMIDEAST headquarters in Washington, DC. AMIDEAST works collaboratively with Mohammed V University – Agdal and with AIMS to oversee the academic curriculum and implementation of the program. It also manages all logistical elements of the program, including the on-site orientation, host family placement and supervision, arrangements for travel excursions, and the planning of special events and extra-curricular activities. Finally, AMIDEAST provides comprehensive support to both participants and administrators in the event of any problems or unusual circumstances.
America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) was founded in 1951. It has field offices in 23 cities in 14 countries in the region, giving it a well-developed infrastructure, capacity, and institutional record of successful exchange programs rooted in more than five decades of in-region experience administering scholarships and exchanges on behalf of U.S. and Arab governments, private companies, and individuals.
Since 1979, AMIDEAST has been providing quality educational services in Morocco. With offices in Rabat and Casablanca, AMIDEAST reaches thousands of students and professionals annually through English and Arabic language courses, academic advising, standardized testing, and cultural exchange programs. AMIDEAST/Morocco has designed and administered numerous programs for youth, undergraduates, and educators, and has arranged homestays, transportation, excursions, community service, language training, professional meetings, and lectures for groups of American students.
Doha Ait Ahmed serves as Program Manager for AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in Rabat. A Moroccan citizen, Doha grew up in Agadir in southern Morocco and has lived in Rabat for the past eight years. After graduating in 2000 from Ibnou Zouhr University in Agadir with a bachelor’s degree in English, she taught English and classical Arabic at two schools in Agadir before moving to Rabat to work with the U.S. Peace Corps from 2001 until 2008 as a Moroccan Arabic and Tashelhit (an Amazigh dialect) teacher, cross-cultural trainer, and homestay coordinator. She also worked each summer with a youth development training center in Fez. Doha joined AMIDEAST in June 2008 as a group leader for American high school students who were in Morocco for an intercultural experience. Prior to assuming her role as Program Manager, she taught both Moroccan and Modern Standard Arabic in AMIDEAST’s semester and summer programs.
- Are enrolled at an accredited college or university and have completed two years of post-secondary study
- Have completed at least one year of Modern Standard Arabic (completed Al-Kitaab Part One through at least Chapter 15 or equivalent)
- Have completed foundational coursework in Middle East and North African studies
- Have some background in French (preferred but not required)
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.75 (on a 4.0 scale) or are enrolled in their college or university’s Honors Program; however, applications will be considered holistically
- Are physically and emotionally prepared to spend four months in Morocco
- Are willing to adapt to a new, potentially challenging environment
Applications must be completed online and must include a preliminary research proposal for the Research Seminar. The preliminary research proposal must be a minimum of 300 words and include a discussion of your topic, why it is important to do this research in Morocco, the approach to be taken, an indication of how you have arrived at this topic, and an indication of your language abilities in French and Arabic.
Application Deadline: The deadline for spring 2011is October 15, 2010. Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World Admissions Committee no later than November 1, 2010.
for the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the
Arab World online application.
AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Rabat
1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 776-9640
Fax: (202) 776-7040
Email: Honors@amideast.org
Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 Fees (per semester):
|
Fall |
Spring |
Academic Yr |
Tuition & fees |
$11,050 |
$11,050 |
$20,850 |
Room & board |
$2,450 |
$2,450 |
$4,900 |
TOTAL |
$13,500 |
$13,500 |
$25,750 |
Estimated Personal Expenses:
|
Fall |
Spring |
Academic Yr |
International airfare1 |
$1,500 |
$1,500 |
$1,5002 |
Local transportation |
$320 |
$320 |
$640 |
Personal expenses3 |
$900 |
$900 |
$1,800 |
Books |
$200 |
$200 |
$400 |
TOTAL |
$2,920 |
$2,920 |
$4,340 |
1 International airfare will vary depending on departure city.
2 Academic year students who choose to go home for the semester break will incur the cost of an additional flight.
3 This includes an estimated $320/semester for meals not covered by the room and board charge.
- Tuition for five academic courses
- All-inclusive one-week orientation
- Housing (either with a host family or in a student residence hall)
- Most meals (if with a host family) or a meal stipend (if in a residence hall)
- Program-organized excursions
- Supplementary lectures and special events
- Medical insurance, including medical evacuation and repatriation, and political and security evacuation coverage
Tuition and fees are subject to change.
- International airfare
- Local personal transportation
- Communication and other personal expenses
- Books
- Some meals
Morocco is a gateway to Africa and the Arab world. A meeting point for civilizations and continents situated on the northwest tip of Africa, contemporary Morocco, with its nearly 35 million people, is a fusion of Arab, European, and African cultural influences. Here, visitors have the opportunity to experience life in a Muslim country while exploring the distinct society and traditions of the Maghreb. Whether enjoying a croissant and mint tea at a café, visiting Amazigh (Berber) villages or wandering through the medinas and their souqs, each experience in Morocco offers rich insight into its remarkable culture. With its striking topography, vibrant culture, and distinctive history, Morocco is an ideal destination for cross-cultural interchange and learning.
Morocco's physical landscape is as varied as its culture, ranging from sun-scorched deserts to temperate coastal plains, mountain peaks to sandy beaches. Visitors can even ski on the snowy slopes of the Atlas Mountains in winter. A mild, Mediterranean climate predominates in most parts of the country, with hot, sunny summers, and cool, damp winters.
Islam heavily influences daily life in Morocco. From the fast of Ramadan to the five daily calls to prayer, it is a significant force in virtually all aspects of Moroccan life. It has been the dominant religion in the region for nearly fourteen hundred years and the official religion of the modern state since Morocco regained its independence in 1956. The population is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, adhering to the moderate Maliki school of Islamic law.
Moroccan Islam has attracted considerable attention from scholars for its openness to democratic reforms (support for multiparty democracy, human rights, women's rights, and acceptance of liberalism in government). American anthropology as a field has been strongly influenced by fieldwork carried out in Morocco by preeminent scholars such as Clifford Geertz, Lawrence Rosen, Paul Rabinow, Vincent Crapanzano, Daisy Dwyer, and others. The diversity of the hybrid cultural variants in the country is fascinating, not only in religious practice but also in music, folklore, rituals, architecture, and ethnic interactions. The new emphasis on Amazigh (Berber) culture is another area of increasing interest in many fields as well.
Morocco is one of the most politically stable countries in the Arab world, and a long-time ally of the United States. It is accessible to visitors, with a thriving tourist industry and a generally friendly attitude towards foreigners. Governed as a constitutional monarchy, the current head of state is King Mohammed VI, who ascended the throne in 1999. His reign has been marked by political and social reform, economic liberalization, and an increasingly active role in international politics.
Rapid urbanization is changing the appearance and character of contemporary Morocco, with over half of the population now residing in cities. Casablanca, situated on the Atlantic coast, is the country's economic capital and its largest city, with a population of nearly four million. Rabat, the nation's capital and its second-largest city, is located about sixty miles to the north. Other major urban areas include the popular tourist destinations of Fez, Marrakesh, Tangier, and Agadir.
AMIDEAST’s programs are based in Rabat, Morocco’s cosmopolitan capital. Situated at the confluence of the Bou Regreg River and Atlantic Ocean, Rabat is a relaxed yet stately metropolis of 1.7 million people. Steeped in history, Rabat is one of Morocco’s four imperial cities. Its medina (old city) is easy to navigate and includes housing as well as shops and traditional craftsmen plying their trades. The modern city, dating to the early 20th century, has wide, pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined boulevards and many green spaces, and houses the political and administrative offices of Morocco’s government as well as its parliament, supreme court, and Royal Palace. Settled in the third century BC, Rabat subsequently was ruled by the Romans, Berbers, Arabs, and lastly the French before Morocco’s independence in 1956.
In addition to government offices, Rabat is home to Morocco’s most prestigious academic institutions and numerous non-governmental and international organizations, including ISESCO (the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Mohammed V University – Agdal was Morocco’s first modern university, and other institutions such as the Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences, the National School of Administration, and the Applied Statistics Institute are also located in Rabat. A recent addition to Rabat’s research and cultural institutions is the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture.
Rabat’s waterfront is undergoing a total makeover with construction of a marina, apartment and commercial complexes, and a landscaped walkway along the riverside. A light rail system under construction will link Rabat with Salé, its twin city across the river, and run to Madinat al-Irfan (City of Knowledge, or university quarter). With tens of thousands of students and a vibrant cultural life, Rabat is an exciting place to live and study.
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