Midaoui: Artificial Intelligence is Changing the Rules of Scientific Research and 60 Pages is Enough for a Doctoral Thesis
Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation Minister Azeddine Midaoui acknowledged the existence of what he described as “disruptions” within the public policies related to higher education, considering them among the main factors that hindered reform progress and prevented continuous advancement. He also called for adopting more concise doctoral theses, not exceeding 60 pages, to be accompanied by peer-reviewed publications, as a means to mitigate the risks of plagiarism associated with developments in artificial intelligence.
During a press conference held yesterday at the Ministry’s headquarters in Rabat, Midaoui stated that the implementation of reforms has faced recurrent setbacks due to interruptions in public policies. He explained that the Ministry’s responses today are based on a precise diagnosis of these shortcomings, in response to a question from “Al-Amq.”
The Minister noted that the year 2000 saw the introduction of Law 01.00 regulating higher education; however, the subsequent five years revealed its limitations. While it was considered that the success of the system depended on the confidence of the middle and upper classes in public education, the then-President of the Higher Education Council, Mouziyan Belfaqih, deemed this evaluation insufficient.
In 2009, the emergency plan was adopted, granting universities a degree of autonomy through contracts as the basis for their relationship with the state. However, this autonomy soon declined, creating—according to Midaoui—a new rupture that weakened the proper implementation of reforms.
The Minister believes that overcoming these issues requires granting universities true autonomy, which is included in Bill 59.24 concerning higher education and scientific research. This legislation proposes the establishment of a “Board of Trustees” as a new body within the university.
He clarified that the Board of Trustees, to be chaired by a prominent figure appointed for this role, will also include regional presidents, governors, and economic leaders, ensuring the continuity and stability of public policies, even with changes in university or government leadership. This body will, according to the government official, reinforce the university’s regional ties and build long-term strategies that are not affected by shifts in leadership.
Regarding the new challenges posed by artificial intelligence, Midaoui confirmed that this has become a globally raised issue, and the Ministry is working on formulating a clear approach to address it, including the integration of artificial intelligence education into the guiding documents of several universities.
Asked about the possibility of using artificial intelligence to produce doctoral theses, the minister responded, “I think about this constantly,” announcing plans to soon form a committee of specialists to develop practical solutions.
Midaoui remarked that the classical model of theses, which sometimes exceeds 400 pages, is no longer necessary, proposing a concise model consisting of about 60 pages, similar to what is adopted by international universities. This model includes three peer-reviewed articles, a precise bibliography, and an “État de l’art” offering a systematic overview of the key writings on the subject, with an emphasis on accurate source documentation.
He explained that researchers can reference multiple sources in this overview, provided they adhere to scientific referencing rules, with around 15 pages dedicated to discussing the content of the scientific publications. This would transform the thesis into a concise document of genuine scientific value, instead of lengthy works that open doors to the use of artificial intelligence without clear regulations.
