• Université de la Formation Continue (UFC) in Algeria created a commission to steer its transition toward the “University 4.0” digital education model.
• The institution has already trained more than 800 teachers in digital technologiesand developed 683 online courses.
• Algeria counted 1.53 million students in the 2024–2025 academic year, highlighting the need to modernize higher education.

Public distance-learning institution Université de la Formation Continue (UFC)has established a commission tasked with guiding its transition toward the so-called fourth-generation university model, or “University 4.0.”

According to Algérie Presse Service, which reported the development on March 12, the initiative reflects the Algerian higher-education sector’s effort to adapt to global technological changes and strengthen the university’s role in innovation.

The institution said the move represents “a step toward building a smart and innovative university capable of addressing future challenges and contributing effectively to national development and the knowledge economy.”

The new commission builds on a digital foundation that the university has already developed. During the National Digital Education Week in September 2025, UFC Rector Yahia Djaafri said the institution had trained more than 800 teachers in information and communication technologies. He added that the university had completed 683 online courses, including 120 in English, and had deployed 68 digital platforms dedicated to students.

The creation of the commission now provides an institutional framework to expand these initiatives. The initiative also forms part of a wider effort to modernize Algeria’s higher education system.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research reported 1,530,230 students enrolled during the 2024–2025 academic year, including 938,673 women, representing 63% of the total. These figures illustrate both the expansion of the system and the urgency of updating academic content and training methods.

Meanwhile, Algeria has improved its visibility in international university rankings. The QS Arab Region University Rankingslisted 46 Algerian institutions in its 2026 edition, compared with 17 in 2025 and 14 in 2024.

This growth places Algeria first in the Maghreb and the Arab worldby number of ranked universities. However, policymakers still face a central challenge: translating this academic momentum into stronger graduate employability, a key objective of the University 4.0 model.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum