Cadi Ayyad University

جامعة القاضي عياض
Established	1978 (1978)
President	Pr. Moulay Lhassan HBID
Academic staff	1,519
Administrative staff	801
Students	102,000
Address	Abdelkrim Khattabi Avenue , Marrakesh , Marrakesh-Safi , 40000 , Morocco 31°39′58″N 8°00′00″W / 31.666°N 8.000°W / 31.666; -8.000
Website	www.uca.ma

Cadi Ayyad University (in arabic transcription): jāmiʿat al-qāḍī ʿayyāḍ, French: Université Cadi Ayyad) is a university in Marrakesh and one of the largest universities in Morocco. One of its associated colleges, the École nationale des sciences appliquées de Marrakech (ENSA Marrakech), was created in 2000 by the Ministry of Higher Education and specializes in engineering and scientific research.^[1][2] Cadi Ayyad University was established in 1978 and operates 13 institutions in the Marrakesh-Safi region of Morocco in four main cities, including Kalaa of Sraghna, Essaouira and Safi in addition to Marrakesh.^[3]

Branches of study

Cadi Ayyad University has established, since 1978, 13 institutions,^[3] which are:

• Faculty of Sciences Semlalia FSSM
• Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences
• Faculty of Law, Economic and Social Sciences FSJES
• Faculty of Sciences and Techniques FST
• Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacie FMPM
• National School of Applied Sciences ENSA-M
• National School of Commerce and Management ENCG
• Ecole Normale Supérieure ENS in Marrakesh
• Ecole Supérieure de Technologie in Essaouira ESTE
• University Center CUKS (2007–08) in Kelaa of Essraghna
• Ecole Supérieure de Technologie (1992–93)
• Faculté Polydisciplinaire (2003–04)
• National School of Applied Sciences ENSA Safi (2003–04) in Safi

The number of students enrolled in Marrakesh is reported to be 41,669.^[4]

Astronomy

Under the Morocco Oukaimeden Sky Survey (MOSS) Project, the University of Marrakesh discovered two major comets and one NEO, which resulted in the university gaining prestige by naming the asteroid 2007 NQ3 as Cadi Ayyad. The first discovery was comet P/2011 W2 (Rinner) on 25 November 2011 using a 500 mm telescope at the Oukaimeden Observatory. The second comet with the name C/2012 CH17 (MOSS) was discovered on 13 February 2011.^[5] A near-Earth asteroid was discovered on the night of 15 to 16 November 2011 using a MOSS telescope.^[3] A third comet was officially discovered in January 2013 was designated P/2013 CE31.^[6]