"I am an urban sociologist . My interests include urban ecology and the study of urban issues, seeing the city as a central object for analysis and reflection."
Located in the third-largest port in Algeria on the Mediterranean Sea, the University of Skikda bears the traces of its colonial history, both in its name and its location. Originally, the university campus housed the school of agriculture and viticulture, known as Philippeville during French colonial rule until 1962. Rather than commemorating a hero of the struggle for independence, the university chose to honour the date of 20 August 1955, a pivotal moment in the conflict associated with a massacre and the subsequent French reprisals in Philippeville. Established as a university centre in 1998, the institution experienced rapid growth, attaining full university status in 2001, with over 10,000 students enrolled as early as the 2002 academic year. This steady expansion has continued, with current enrolment exceeding 30,000 students. It is distinctive in covering a very broad spectrum of disciplines: Social and Human Sciences, Law, Economic and Management Sciences, Sciences, Technology, Petrochemistry, Agronomy, etc. The University offers a diverse range of educational programmes catering to varied audiences. It combines openness, mass education aimed at acquiring sufficiently recognised skills, and an articulation between research training and professionalisation by strengthening links with socio-economic actors and improving study conditions. The university comprises six faculties, with Sciences and Technology being the largest, followed by Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural and Life Sciences, Letters and Languages, Economic, Management and Commercial Sciences, and Law and Political Science, one institute (ISTA), and a medical annexe. Enrolment in postgraduate programmes has also increased significantly over the years. The university is characterised by a strong representation of female students, particularly in the Humanities and Social Sciences and Natural and Life Sciences. It also welcomes international students from Arab and African countries. The campus includes a botanical garden and several specialised gardens, including exotic and Mexican gardens.