Project

FOSTEX PROJECT AIMS TO FILL THE GAP IN THE AREA OF SPECIALISED SERVICES FOR THE TEXTILE SECTOR BY UPGRADING ONE TEXTILE CENTRE IN MOROCCO AND BY ESTABLISHING THREE FULLY OPERATIONAL ADVANCED TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTRES, ONE IN MOROCCO AND TWO IN JORDAN.

The project also aims to reinforce the link between university research efforts and the textile industry to foster innovation and the manufacturing of high added value products.

The textile sector in Morocco and Jordan consists of companies that have limited access to services like testing, training, research, studies, technology and financial funding instruments. The involved universities in the two countries aim to develop focal points that bring together enterprises, universities and research centres in advanced textile production.

By focusing on knowledge sharing, entrepreneurial skills, socio-cultural factors and innovation potentials, Fostex contributes to fulfil the universities’ third mission, that is strengthening the ‘knowledge triangle’ by linking education with research and innovation, stimulating the social and economic development.

Fostex initiatives has the ambitious and challenging purpose to upgrade the textile centre existing at ESITH – Ecole Supérieure des Industries du Textile et de l’Habillement and to establish a new centre at UH2C –  Université Hassan II de Casablanca, both Moroccan Universities, transforming them into textile innovation centres, providing advanced and specialised services to companies in the first place. In parallel, the involved Jordanian universities, JUST – Jordan University of Science and Technology and BAU – Al-Balqa Applied University, set up new innovation centres to overcome the lack of specialised support from Higher Education Institutions in the country, giving the possibilities to the companies of the sector to invest in quality, innovation and to design added value products.

Objectives

THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE IS TO FOSTER THE UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COLLABORATION, TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATION IN THE TEXTILE SECTOR IN MOROCCO AND JORDAN, AND TO GENERATE AN ECOSYSTEM OF ADVANCED TEXTILE MATERIALS.

The upgrading of existing centres in Morocco and the creation of new innovation centres in Jordan will become a valuable ally for the local textile sector and its further development.

Fostex project complies with the national Jordan industrial policy for the years 2017 – 2021 that aims to develop competitiveness in the area of production cost, quality, certification, export and innovation, encouraging applied research and technology transfer from universities to industry.

Similarly, the Moroccan Government established an industrial acceleration plan for the years 2014 – 2020, in which a dedicated strategic line aims to create different industrial ecosystems to promote an integrated development of the sectors. For the textile sector 6 ecosystems are identified, indicating Technical Textiles as one of them.

The initiative aims to achieve the following challenging macro objectives:

  • develop competitiveness through lowering production costs;
  • increase productivity, quality and design of textile products;
  • train for international conformity certification;
  • enhance local market share and raise confidence in “Made in Jordan” and “Made in Morocco” merchandise marks;
  • develop export to adjacent markets of Jordan and Morocco, and to explore new opportunities to non-traditional markets such as the African markets;
  • develop and explore niche manufacturing opportunities where competitive advantage is not based on price (i.e. specialised products such as advanced / high-end textiles).

The initiative aims to set up two advanced textile innovation centres in Jordan and upgrading two textile innovation centres in Morocco, in addition:

  • to promote the centres making them the focal points in the textile industry of each country;
  • to promote entrepreneurial activities in the four centres to make them regional catalysts of innovation;
  • to showcase Fostex results and encourage Moroccan and Jordanian governments to replicate the initiatives in other universities.

Partners

FOSTEX COMBINES DIFFERENT BACKGROUND, EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE OF THE PARTNERS IN A HIGHLY COMPETENT CONSORTIUM, COVERING THE SKILLS, EXPERTISE AND COMPETENCES REQUIRED TO CARRY OUT ALL ASPECTS OF THE WORK PLAN.
The partnership comprises 13 institutions from 6 countries representing different parts of Europe and the Mediterranean area.

The consortium is characterised by a mixture of institutions with different profiles, capacities and complementary competences: higher education institutions, companies and non-profit institutions, research and training centres and business associations.

The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya BarcelonaTech (UPC) is a public institution dedicated to higher education and research, specialized in the fields of engineering, architecture and science. The UPC puts its scientific and technological infrastructure at the service of research groups and centers, researchers and students, professionals, companies and institutions. With a focus on intellectual rigor, critical thinking, a transversal approach to knowledge, educational innovation and entrepreneurship, the UPC produces competent professionals with the skills they need to tackle present and future challenges. The textile division performs Textile Education & Research at the UPC Terrassa Campus.

upc.edu

Agrupació d’Empreses Innovadores Tèxtils (AEI TÈXTILS) is a non-profit association, which has the aim to join all Catalan companies and organizations related directly or indirectly to the technical textiles sector and which form a specialized productive area with competitive advantages.

textils.cat

CRE.THI.DEV. is a non-profit company aiming at community development through the research and development of action plans, focused on the local and social economies, mainly on the fields of life-long learning, environmental protection, employment and local development. The company establishes close cooperation with local and regional authorities, government authorities and business associations in order to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development through research and the raising of awareness in local communities towards available development projects.

crethidev.gr

University of West Attica established in 2018. It is the result of the merge of Piraeus University of Applied Sciences and Athens University of Applied Sciences. The new University is the third bigger in Greece.
The University based on the long and successful tradition of the constituting institutes provides a high level undergraduate and postgraduate education combined with intensive research activities in specific areas. UNIWA reserves standing partnerships with other domestic and foreign educational and research institutes in order to continuously improve the level of the studies and research. UNIWA scientific personnel have experience relevant with scientific and educational Master Projects and implementations a variety of educational methods such as e-learning, digital learning, transfer of Knowhow for education to industry sector, etc.

https://www.uniwa.gr/en/

CIAPE is a non profit private organisation, which exists as an Association of Learners to promote the development of a learning society through the provision of a quality and comprehensive system of adult learning and education which is accessible and inclusive.

ciape.it

Materially helps companies in the development and promotion of sustainable innovation starting from materials. Thanks to daily research and constant dialogue with the various players in the world of materials, from universities, to start-ups, to companies offering or looking for solutions to be applied in their manufacturing processes, Materially is the ideal partner for development and implementation of innovation strategies based on materials. We support companies in the development of new concepts and products by scouting material solutions to meet technical, creative and sustainability needs. We help identify environmentally sustainable solutions and build road-maps for the adoption of materials for the circular economy.

It is a comprehensive, state-supported university located in northern Jordan, it was established on 1986. It has different signed agreements with international institutions and international universities: US (18 agreements), Arab (22 agreements), European (21 agreements), Canadian (7 agreements), Australian (2 agreements). The university ranked among best 351-400 universities for 2017, the ranks 68 among the Asian Universities for 2018, and advances 144 points in the US News Global Ranking for 2019, and the First Locally in Jordan.

just.edu.jo

Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU), central campus located at Salt, is a pioneer scientific applied university. It competes globally in applied scientific research, creativity, innovation to build society and knowledge economy. BAU was founded in 1996 and actual teaching started in the academic year 1997/98. It is a member of Higher Education Council in Jordan, it is also a member of Union of Arab Universities. BAU is geographically spread over eight Governorates over Jordan. It has seven faculties that are located at the central campus in Salt city, and eleven faculties spread around Jordan.

old.bau.edu.jo

Created in October 1996, ESITH was founded thanks to a public-private partnership between the Moroccan government and the Moroccan Association of Textiles and Garment Industry. The project of the first and only higher education institution specialised in the textiles industry saw the light thanks to a European funding. The vision of the schools founders of the schools was to build a school which is as efficient and as innovative as an enterprise. Since 2003, ESITH has established multidisciplinary courses to meet the skills needs of industrial sectors and services; therefore developing new courses and launching an ambitious research and development programme involving all the stakeholders: government, enterprises, international donors, and business associations.

esith.ac.ma

Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) was established in 1962 as a non-profit organization with a membership that includes (9,000) industrial enterprises classified under several industries varying in size from small to medium and large industries. ACI vision is to have a leading role in serving its members and to be a main driver for developing the national industry and enhancing its competitiveness. Its mission is to represent and advocate the interests of the industrialists, also to offer them unique services and programs in order to fulfil their needs and expectations and enhance the competitiveness of the Jordanian industrial products towards strengthening the national economy.

aci.org.jo

AMITH is for 57 years at the service of the Textile & Apparel Industries in Morocco, and it is the unique Moroccan active association in this industry. It brings together players of the textile & apparel industry, and acts as their voice in all matters of relevance. It is a project initiator and a driving force behind the Public-Private Partnership. AMITH is a citizen association, an atypical path, and a professional structure which is a model of public service provision. It develops negotiation and monitoring of 5 program contracts with the government. It has conceived and organized, since 1990, the only professional fairs in Morocco (VETMA).

amith.ma