Morocco opens inclusive university for deaf and hearing students in Rabat

Morocco has inaugurated Lalla Asmaa University in Rabat, an institution designed to bring deaf and hard-of-hearing students together with hearing students through shared higher education and vocational training programmes.

Princess Lalla Asmaa, president of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, inaugurated the university on Oct 15. The institution aims to expand access to education for deaf and hard-of-hearing people while training professionals in hearing care, sign language interpretation, technology and other fields.

According to the Moroccan government, the university offers a free curriculum in hearing sciences. Its four schools provide 16 qualifications ranging from vocational certificates to master's degrees, with a planned capacity of 3,500 places.

The government has described it as the world's first inclusive university, a claim attributed to its official announcement.

The institution is designed to allow deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing students to study in the same learning environment. Its programmes combine academic education with professional training intended to improve employment opportunities and access to services.

Four schools offer 16 qualifications

The university's four schools cover hearing sciences and communication; sign languages, interpretation and accessibility; technology, innovation and digital creation; and vocational education.

Its hearing-related programmes include audiology, speech-language therapy, auditory rehabilitation and clinical psychology. Other courses cover sign language interpretation, artificial intelligence, digital design, culinary arts, pastry-making and chocolate-making.

The institution also houses seven laboratories for research, clinical training and technological development. These include facilities for artificial intelligence and robotics, motion capture to develop visual resources for Moroccan Sign Language, hearing assessments and cochlear implant training.

The facilities are intended to support both professional education and research into hearing-related conditions and accessibility. The university also plans to train specialists who can help make public and private services more accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

A student residence is scheduled to open in 2027, with the aim of accommodating students from different parts of Morocco and from abroad.

International partnerships support specialised training

Five cooperation agreements were signed during the inauguration ceremony to strengthen the university's academic, medical and professional training programmes.

The partners include IHU reConnect in Paris, the University of Montpellier, academic and healthcare institutions in Belgium, Mohammed V University in Rabat, and Morocco's National Broadcasting and Television Company (SNRT).

The agreements are intended to support research into hearing disorders, training in audiology and cochlear implants, and the preparation of sign language interpreters. The partnership with SNRT will also support interpreter training for broadcasting and opportunities for deaf students in audiovisual professions.

The Lalla Asmaa Foundation had separately signed an agreement with an academic institution in Chicago to support training and research in applied behaviour analysis, including the university's master's programme and laboratory in the field.

The university's launch comes as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. The institution also aims to train professionals in accessible communication and services, including staff working in hotels, stadiums, transport and public-facing institutions.

By combining hearing-related healthcare education, sign language, technology and vocational training, Lalla Asmaa University aims to expand educational opportunities while preparing students for careers across healthcare, digital industries and other sectors.