Today started early, getting up at 6 a.m. to prepare for a packed day of site visits. We had three total visits today, with one being a joint visit between UM6P and 1337 Coding School. By 8 a.m. we were on the road to Casablanca, arriving at Technopark around 10. Technopark was fascinating because it felt less like a single company and more like a giant support network for startups and entrepreneurs. Originally connected to the OCP mining group before becoming its own entity, it now acts as a large incubator that helps startups grow through funding connections, mentorship, development support, and networking. Companies can remain in incubation for up to five years before fully branching out on their own. One of the biggest takeaways from this visit was how intentionally connected everything felt. Talent, funding, research, and entrepreneurship were all tied together into one ecosystem rather than operating separately.
After a quick lunch stop at the mall, we drove nearly three hours to Ben Guerir for the joint UM6P and 1337 visit. This was probably the visit I was most excited for, especially because of how unique 1337’s learning structure is. We learned that 1337 is one of three coding models offered through the school and that the entire system is heavily student-driven. Students are required to complete at least 80 hours a month and 120 total course hours, with much of the learning centered around peer collaboration and independent problem solving. The school cannot be completed remotely because so much of the experience depends on peer-to-peer interaction and campus involvement. The name “1337” itself comes from leet speak, which was honestly a pretty fun detail to learn.
What stood out most was how rigorous the admissions process is. Applicants first complete a two-hour logic exam, then attend an information session, and finally participate in “the pool,” a four-week immersion where students complete daily projects, weekend group work, and Friday exams. Only around 20–30% of students make it through the pool, and out of more than 100,000 applicants, only around 7% are accepted into the university overall. However, for those who do make it through, nearly all of them finish the program, and essentially all graduates receive jobs afterward. The school’s entire philosophy revolves around proving competency rather than relying on traditional teaching structures. There are no normal teachers giving lectures. Instead, students are given projects and expected to figure things out themselves. Peer corrections are a huge part of the process, with random students evaluating and defending projects to prove understanding. Coaches are available if needed, but even that support has to be earned through peer work.
Talking to the female students was especially interesting because one of the things our group wanted to understand better was how women experience a heavily male-dominated field. Surprisingly, every student we talked to spoke very positively about the environment. They said they felt supported by peers, believed competition was fair, and did not feel there was a pay gap in internships or future opportunities. The school also gives housing priority to female students as a way to encourage greater participation. This directly tied into one of the key themes for our presentation regarding accessibility and inclusion in Morocco’s growing tech ecosystem.
The actual UM6P campus was incredible as well. It honestly reminded me of Penn State Main Campus because the town itself almost felt built around the university. What was striking was how much emphasis there was on innovation and entrepreneurship everywhere you looked. Students practically lived on campus around the clock, with many not even beginning serious work until the evening. The campus itself is student-only, reinforcing how focused the environment is on collaboration and productivity.
Our final stop was StartGate, an accelerator located directly on the UM6P campus that helps entrepreneurs launch startups through funding, mentorship, and material support. By the end of the day, a major theme had become very clear to me: nearly everything we visited connected back in some way to the state, OCP, or larger national development goals. Whether it was Technopark, UM6P, 1337, or StartGate, there was a constant emphasis on building long-term innovation infrastructure for the country. Rather than isolated organizations, everything felt interconnected and intentional.
Honestly, throughout the day, it felt like there was electricity in the air. Morocco seems to be building something much larger than just individual universities or startup hubs. There is a real push toward creating an innovation ecosystem that can compete globally while still developing opportunities within the country itself. In the next 5–15 years, I genuinely cannot wait to see whether that lightning strikes and how far this vision goes.