Graduation Ceremony 2025 - Engineering Tomorrow: A Vision for Mauritius's Future Leaders

Hon F. David (left) with the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and the Chancellor of the University 

At the graduation ceremony held on 29 July 2025 for the Faculty of Agriculture, at the University of Mauritius, a key address was delivered by the guest speaker Hon Gilles Fabrice David, Junior Minister of AgroIndustry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries.

He expressed profound happiness and pride in addressing the "future of our country," referring to the graduates as the "builders of tomorrow, the custodians of knowledge and transformation".

He emphasised that this momentous occasion marked not only the culmination of years of perseverance and intellectual growth but also the beginning of a path that demands creativity, innovation, courage, and "unwavering vision, bold leadership and determination to engineer a future that will transcend boundaries and transforms challenges into opportunities".

Science-Based Policy and Sectoral Transformation

A core theme of his aaddress was the critical importance of science-based policy, with evidence, research, and innovation guiding national decisions, especially in areas like climate resilience, food security, renewable energy, and the green and blue economies. The graduates, as future scientists, engineers, and researchers, are expected to provide the knowledge to shape this future.

The speech highlighted significant shifts and future directions in key sectors:

• Agriculture: Beyond Soil and Space
• The Faculty of Agriculture, established in 1914, is the oldest of its kind in Mauritius, boasting over a century of excellence.
• Agriculture today is no longer solely defined by space and soil; it is "driven by satellites, sensors, artificial intelligence and smart systems".
• Graduates are poised to lead in digital agriculture, precision farming, climate-smart solutions, and biotechnology innovations.
• This transformation is crucial because Mauritius still imports 75% of its food, amounting to a Rs 61 billion bill in 2023, posing both an economic issue and a strategic risk.
• By working in agriculture, graduates are not just cultivating crops but "cultivating a resilient Mauritius".
• The government is investing in this sector through climate-smart agriculture training, agro-processing opportunities, and innovation hubs, with the National Agricultural Research Institute evolving into a 21st-century partner for startups and global networks.
• Engineering: Addressing New Frontiers
• The Faculty of Engineering, founded in 1968, close to the nation's independence, has been instrumental in Mauritius's industrial growth, producing minds that built infrastructure, powered industries, and innovated the economy for nearly six decades.
• Today's engineers face new challenges, including renewable energy, sustainable design, green technologies, and ocean innovation.
• A critical requirement for all new projects and developments is "climate proofing," to withstand the impacts of a changing world.
• The world needs problem-solvers who can "think beyond boundaries," a skill the graduates have been trained to acquire.

Mauritius: A "Big Ocean State" with Big Ambitions

A particularly exciting vision presented was Mauritius's identity as a "big ocean state" (BOSS).

• Mauritius is striving to redefine itself not by its small landmass but by its vast ocean territory of 2.2 million square kilometers, which is "a thousand times bigger than our land".
• The ambition is to become a "boss in the region," a "driving force for Africa, a bridge to Asia, and an ocean leader for the world".
• A major step towards this vision was the Prime Minister's announcement at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNO3) in France of the creation of a new, full-fledged Faculty of Ocean Studies in Mauritius, which will serve as a "hub of research, innovation and ocean leadership". This will be an expansion from the current Department of Biosciences and Ocean Studies within the Faculty of Science.
• The speaker expressed a personal dream of Mauritius one day hosting an international institution focused on ocean studies.
• To realize this, the speaker has already engaged with the Minister for Tertiary Education, Science and Research and the Vice Chancellor, expressing readiness to collaborate on engineering this new faculty.
• The Mauritius Oceanography Institute (MOI), with its 19 qualified marine scientists (including five with doctoral degrees), is identified as a key partner. MOI can host students for projects, and its staff can serve as academics, contributing to teaching and supervision while continuing their research.
• Crucially, to ensure job prospects for graduates, MOI and the Albion Fisheries Research Center (both under the speaker's ministry) will commit to recruiting at least five graduates annually over the next five years, by which time the new faculty is expected to be strong enough to absorb its own graduates and offer postgraduate courses. This initiative aims to create "a new dynamism in ocean science," opening further opportunities.

A Call to Reimagine and Lead

Regardless of their field—agriculture, ocean science, or engineering—the graduates' skills are "critical for shaping a resilient, innovative and sustainable Mauritius". The future will be challenging but meaningful, demanding that they "reimagine what can be, what will be," rather than simply replicating what came before.

The address powerfully concluded by emphasizing that:

• "A nation that cannot feed itself is a nation at risk".
• Conversely, "a nation that invests in its youth empowers its scientists and engineers and transform challenges into opportunities is a nation that secures its destiny".

The graduating class was urged to step forward with courage, conviction, and creativity, recognizing that both the land and the ocean are calling—not just for exploitation, but for "stewardship, innovation and transformation". The speech ended with heartfelt congratulations and wishes for a journey ahead filled with discovery, service, and pride for themselves, their families, their nation, and future generations.