On 17 May 2023, Dr Anne-Marie Bezzina Busuttil, Coordinator of the French Subject Area within the Faculty of Education’s Department of Languages and Humanities, and Prof. Ali Ouassou, from the École Supérieure de l’Éducation et de la Formation of the Université Ibn Tofaïl in Kénitra, Morocco, gave two lectures to staff and students from both institutions.

The lectures were mainly intended to develop students’ knowledge in the field of Sociolinguistic theory, applied to the dynamic linguistic configurations of Malta and Morocco. Dr Anne-Marie Bezzina Busuttil’s lecture was about « Le contexte multilingue maltais : des contacts omniprésents ». It described the complex linguistic scenario of the Maltese islands, and debated whether one can qualify it as diglossic. Prof. Ali Ouassou’s lecture was about « Le Maroc, un exemple de contexte africain et francophone complexe et évolutif : étude sociolinguistique ». It gave a broad picture of the linguistic situation and language change in Morocco as explained by sociolinguistic concepts.

An interesting discussion followed the lectures. The exchanges were moderated by Prof. Nabil Mourchid from the Moroccan University. A number of speeches preceded the lectures, including one by Dr Marilyn Mallia, Head of the Department of French at the Faculty of Arts.

Dr Bezzina Busuttil and Prof Ouassou intend to pursue their collaboration in such a way that this first scientific encounter may lead to more solid and fruitful academic cooperation between the two Universities.