On November 4, 2025, during an official visit to Marrakech and Ifrane, Morocco, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi launched 65 university research grants under the Jawaher Fund for the Advancement of Women’s Education, in partnership with Cadi Ayyad University (Marrakech) and Al Akhawayn University (Ifrane). The move is part of a broader UAE-backed programme that combines academic grants with rural development projects to support women’s education, research and sustainable livelihoods especially in areas hit by the September 2023 earthquake.
The 65 research grants
The first pillar of the initiative focuses on advancing higher education through the Jawaher Fund for the Advancement of Women’s Education in Morocco. A total of 65 university research grants have been allocated to support postgraduate study and research for female students and faculty.The grants are specifically designed to:
- Boost Scientific Research: Encourage Master’s and Doctoral students to undertake projects that integrate a women’s empowerment perspective into their methodologies and outcomes.
- Target Future Fields: Focus on vital disciplines for national development, including science, technology, health, social sciences, business, and finance.
This academic initiative is a collaboration with two major Moroccan institutions:
- 45 Grants: Awarded to postgraduate students at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech.
- 20 Grants: Designated for faculty members and students at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane.
UAE–Morocco partnership on women’s empowerment
During the visit, an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to cement long-term cooperation between the UAE and Morocco in education, research and women’s economic development. The signing brought together representatives from NAMA Women Advancement, The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) and Morocco’s Mayshad Foundation, forming a unified framework that links academic research grants with on-ground community empowerment projects. The MoU outlines joint commitments to fund, supervise and implement the 65 research grants across Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech and Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, while also supporting rural livelihood initiatives in Al Haouz province. It sets out shared responsibilities for monitoring impact, providing training and ensuring research outputs contribute to women’s advancement and community resilience. The agreement, signed during Sheikha Jawaher’s November 2025 visit, reinforces the UAE’s continued partnership with Morocco by building programmes that combine education, economic opportunity and sustainable development under one collaborative strategy.
Empowering rural women in Al Haouz
The second, crucial pillar of the initiative addresses economic and social resilience in rural areas, particularly in Al Haouz Province, which was severely affected by the September 2023 earthquake. This developmental work is executed through a tripartite agreement involving NAMA Women Advancement (NAMA), The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), and Morocco’s Mayshad Foundation.Two integrated projects were launched in the village of Tansghart to support rural women and strengthen community resilience:
- Sustainable Livelihoods (Funded by NAMA): This project supports approximately 100 women by establishing and expanding sustainable income-generating projects based on sheep farming and livestock production. Beneficiaries receive crucial skills training, resources, and essential financial literacy and marketing guidance. This is expected to help participants achieve an annual income between $1,360 and $3,000 starting from the second year.
- Community Development Hub (Funded by TBHF): This initiative focuses on completing the construction of an earthquake-resistant, eco-friendly rural community center. The center will function as a hub, providing comprehensive educational, health, and economic services to over 1,000 residents in the surrounding quake-affected areas, establishing a model for self-sufficiency.
The takeaway
Sheikha Jawaher concluded her visit by emphasizing a powerful message that defines the core philosophy of her work: “The working woman is not merely a contributor to the economy; she is a force for building and a guarantee of balance and stability within the family and society.”She stressed that empowering women is not a social option but a developmental necessity. The goal is for every woman not just to work, but to produce, innovate, own her projects, and stand confidently on her own land, actively shaping a prosperous future for her community and her nation.
