Science and society intersect at « Les Tables Rondes de l’Arbois et de la Méditerranée

On the 19th and 20th of May, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, in collaboration with the OCP Group, CNRS, and Aix-Marseille University, organized the 15th edition of the Arbois and Mediterranean Roundtables at its Campus in Rabat.

Initiated in 2008, the event brought together researchers, engineers, public decision-makers, and civil society actors to explore how scientific breakthroughs are reshaping societies. Themed “Scientific Breakthroughs,” this edition focused on emerging advances in artificial intelligence, energy systems, soil and climate interactions, and applied mathematics for modeling global phenomena.

The two-day program included plenary conferences, public dialogues, and roundtable sessions. Featured speakers included Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Nadia Yousfi-Steiner, Anne-Marie Kermarrec, and Jean-Paul Ampuero, who shared insights on topics ranging from hydrogen energy systems to decentralized AI and natural risk monitoring. The event reaffirmed the role of science as a catalyst for societal transformation and contributed to shaping actionable frameworks for policy, industry, and scientific cooperation.