Moroccan university concludes scientific agreement with US Lucent Technologies

Morocco's private Al Akhawayn University and Bell Laboratories, a branch of Lucent Technologies specialized in research and development, signed in Rabat Wednesday a partnership agreement in telecommunications research.

Under the agreement, Lucent Technologies and Al Akhawayn University (AUI) will develop a research project in telecommunications.

The university, located in the Atlas Mountains resort city of Ifrane, will provide its students and labs with means to develop research programs for Lucent, while the US firm will supply funds, know-how and will supervise the implementation of the projects.

With a 1998 turnover of $30 billion and a 130,000 workforce, Lucent Technologies, based in New Jersey, develops, constructs and installs large public and private communication networks and software. Bell Laboratories received $3.7 billion to finance research and development.

Bell Labs is the laboratory that saw the birth of the radio, laser, solar cells, communication satellite, electric digital computers, cellular mobile radio, remote television transmission and other communication technologies. A group of 11 scientists obtained the Nobel Prize for research conducted for this lab.