From June 24 to June 28, the Fourth Middle East and North Africa Summer School on Plasma Physics and Nuclear Fusion (MPFus 2024) took place in Tunisia. The opening ceremony was attended by Song Yuntao, Deputy Director of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics, Dong Shaohua, Director of the International Cooperation Office at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, and researchers Ding Rui and Liu Fang from the Institute of Plasma Physics.
The Tunisian Minister of Science and Higher Education delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, praising the school as a solid and continually developing foundation of cooperation between Tunisia, China, and France. This partnership plays a crucial role in driving economic prosperity and scientific advancements for the three countries. Anne Guéguen, the French Ambassador to Tunisia, also addressed the audience, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in tackling global challenges, particularly in advancing the renewable energy sector. She emphasized that the long-standing exchange in science and education between China, France, and Tunisia has deepened mutual understanding and injected valuable vitality and resources into the development of science and education in the three countries.
A memorandum of understanding was signed on behalf of their respective institutions. According to the memorandum, the Institute of Plasma Physics and Carthage University will engage in deeper and broader cooperation in talent training, scientific collaboration, and other areas, working together to contribute to scientific progress in both countries.
The summer school was co-hosted by ASIPP, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), and the Tunisian National Centre for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (CNSTN). It attracted 61 master's and doctoral students from 11 countries, including Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, and Morocco.
