On Monday, 2025/1/27, the Libyan Academy for Postgraduate Studies hosted dialogue sessions titled “Aligning Graduate Skills with Labor Market Needs” as part of the first phase of the EU4SKILLS project.

The first phase of the project, implemented in collaboration with the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED), aims to identify and assess stakeholder needs to guide the implementation of the remaining project activities in line with the priorities that will be determined.

The sessions witnessed broad participation from Libyan universities, technical colleges, government institutions, and business professionals. They began with a series of opening remarks emphasizing the importance of developing skills within higher education to prepare graduates to meet labor market demands.

Speeches were delivered by Mr. Mohamed Aywaz, Acting President of the Libyan Academy for Postgraduate Studies; Mr. Saleh Alghoul, Deputy Minister of Higher Education; Mr. Saad Alhanish, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade; Mr. Altaher Bin Taher, Deputy Minister of Technical and Vocational Education; Mr. Rajab Alakashi, General Director of The National Center for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Educational and Training Institutions; Mr. Mohamed Alaswad, Deputy Program Director at Expertise France; and finally, Mr. Marcello Scalisi, Director of the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED).

These dialogue sessions, followed by a series of similar sessions in different cities, represent the first step toward enhancing the alignment of educational outcomes with labor market needs. This is one of the core objectives of the EU4SKILLS project, which is funded by the European Union and co-financed by the French Government and implemented by Expertise France. The project also aims to promote the use of digital technology in economic activities, develop applications related to the green and blue economies, and improve the performance of banking and financial institutions to enable small and medium enterprises and investors to access financing.