After three years of national and Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, the DIRASA project officially came to a close in Tunis with the Final Conference, organized on January 20, 2026, at the City of Culture, followed on January 21 by the Final Partner Meeting.

These two days marked both the culmination of an ambitious journey to modernize research governance in Tunisia and the starting point of a new dynamic of cooperation between Tunisian universities, national institutions, and European partners.

The Final Conference: a time for synthesis and future outlook

The DIRASA journey ended with a final conference organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research on January 20, 2026, at the City of Culture in Tunis. More than just a closing event, this meeting symbolized the transition from a project to a dynamic meant to continue, offering a space for synthesis, dialogue, and planning for the sustainability of achievements.

The morning opened with institutional addresses highlighting the strategic importance of DIRASA in strengthening university research governance in Tunisia. A global overview of the project was then presented, accompanied by the screening of the final video tracing the main achievements.

The plenary sessions allowed for the sharing of key project results, notably:

• International benchmarking work on research and innovation governance;
• The strengthening of administrative and academic staff skills achieved through:
  • Workshops in Tunisia;
  • The training week in Palermo;
  • Study visits to Pavia, Pisa, and Rouen;
  • Cascade training sessions;
  • The training week in Djerba;
• Strategic watch and performance management tools;
• The creation of Scientific Interest Groups and the national coordination network.

Screening of the final video: three years of transformation in images

A highlight of the conference was the screening of the final DIRASA project video. Through testimonials and footage of training sessions, workshops, institutional meetings, and field activities, this video put into perspective the scope of the work collectively achieved by Tunisian universities, national institutions, and European partners over three years of cooperation. It also underscored the progressive evolution toward a research governance that is more strategic, structured, and impact-oriented.

A policy paper and action plan to sustain achievements

A round table gave the floor to beneficiaries from Tunisian universities, highlighting the changes already initiated and the challenges to be pursued to lastingly anchor DIRASA’s achievements.

The conference ended with the presentation of the policy paper, which synthesizes lessons learned from the project and formulates strategic recommendations for the future of Tunisian research, as well as an action plan dedicated to the sustainability of the results.

A final partner meeting to consolidate achievements

he following day, project partners met at the Novotel Tunis for a workday dedicated to the final analysis of the project’s activities, indicators, and deliverables.

This meeting allowed the partners to:

• Review the finalization of technical and financial reports;
• Evaluate training, dissemination, and communication actions, including dissemination events;
• Exchange views with the external evaluator regarding the project’s impact;
• Define the final administrative and operational steps before the formal closure of DIRASA.

A dynamic set to continue

By articulating dialogue with society, network structuring, policy recommendations, and collective feedback, DIRASA leaves a tangible legacy for a Tunisian research sector that is more coordinated, more visible, and more closely connected to national and societal priorities.

While DIRASA has reached its official term, its partners reaffirmed their common will to continue the work begun. The networks created, the governance tools developed, and the strengthened Euro-Mediterranean collaborations constitute a solid foundation for future cooperation projects.

The partners are already engaged in the preparation of new joint initiatives, aiming to deepen the modernization of research governance, strengthen the socio-economic impact of Tunisian science, and consolidate its integration into international networks.

DIRASA thus closes not as an end, but as a foundational step in a process of sustainable transformation of the research ecosystem in Tunisia – a process destined to continue through new projects, new partnerships, and a shared ambition for the future.