Thursday May 4th 2006 was a special day at the Ecole Polytechnique de Tunisie. The flagship of the Tunisian engineering schools hosted in this day the signing ceremony of a collaborative agreement between the Alumni Association of the EPT (ADEPT) and the AMERICA-MIDEAST EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING SERVICES (AMIDEAST).

This ceremony was held in the presence of Mr. Slim MENZLI President of ADEPT; Mr. Henry L. JENNINGS the Country Director of AMIDEAST; Mr. Habib MAAGLI the EPT director; Mr. Bechir BOUAICHA the Language Department headmaster at the EPT, Mr. Riadh ROBBANA, the Director of Studies and Internships; Miss Sarra MRABET, the Cultural Affairs’ Officer of the ADEPT; Mrs Sarra BELLAGHA, an economics’ professor at the EPT; Mr. Mohamed SAKLY and Mr. Firaz SAMET.

The agreement aims at attaining a common ground for both parties to promote the English language learning at the EPT and offer opportunities of graduate studies both for alumni and students.

Examples of areas of potential collaboration are:

• Regular exchange of information regarding cultural or educational activities organized by each organization, such as guest speakers at EPT, films at AMIDEAST, etc.
• Regular exchange of information regarding linkage programs between institutions of higher education in Tunisia and the USA.
• Timely information to ADEPT of all US Government scholarship programs that are managed by AMIDEAST.
• Information regarding tests to measure and/or certify English language proficiency, such as the ITP, TOEFL and TOEIC.
• Reduced rates for ADEPT members to take TOEIC Preparation English language classes at AMIDEAST.
• ADEPT members serving as resource people for students coming to Advising/Information sessions at AMIDEAST regarding higher education in the USA.
• AMIDEAST offering ADEPT space for meetings, conferences, etc.

The agreement will mark the birth of a new era of collaboration since it offers a good launch pad to build on for more initiatives and common achievements in the field of education and culture.

AMIDEAST is a non-profit, Non Governmental Organization (NGO). Founded in 1951, AMIDEAST aims to encourage understanding and friendship between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa. In Tunisia, it was settled down in 1973 after an agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ever since, AMIDEAST has provided services in the areas of Educational Advising, Testing (the ITP, TOEIC and TOEFL etc), Cultural/Educational Exchange Programs, Professional Development and English Language Training.

Special credits go to the students Rawia TAKTAK, Marah NAJJAR, ASMA MAALEJ & Mohamed NAJED KSOURI for their help in organizing this event.