The University of Tlemcen hosted a special day dedicated to leather and footwear production in collaboration with the economic cluster of the leather and footwear sector. This event highlighted the importance of this industrial sector in supporting the national economy and promoting innovation.

The event included a conference presented by Mr. Sari Hassoun Zakaria, Director of the Student Center, who emphasized the importance of innovation in the industrial sector. He also called for the creation of research and development (R&D) departments in every industrial company to improve productivity and develop products that meet global standards.

The event featured the participation of students from the i2E Student Center, who presented innovative projects aimed at utilizing local raw materials and adding industrial value:

• Project for gelatin extraction from animal hides: This project was presented by Khadija Gaouar (a chemistry student) and Wassim Tabet (an applied genetics student), supervised by Prof. Sohail Gouar. The project focuses on extracting gelatin from various animal hides, opening up industrial prospects and applications in the food and pharmaceutical sectors.

• Sheep leather processing project: Mohamed Addou proposed the creation of a medium-sized company aimed at collecting and processing sheep hides, contributing to improving the quality of raw materials and supporting the local leather industry.

The event concluded with fruitful meetings between students presenting projects in the leather and footwear sectors, allowing for the exchange of ideas and experiences. This interaction opened up opportunities to expand the professional network of project holders and strengthen future partnership opportunities with industry stakeholders.

This event served as a platform to showcase the potential of students and their role in offering innovative solutions. It also highlighted the need to support young researchers in realizing their projects, thus contributing to the economic development of Algeria.