Moncef Ben Salem

Moncef Ben Salem

Moncef Ben Salem (Tunisian Arabic: المنصف بن سالم; February 1, 1953 – March 24, 2015) was a Tunisian politician and university professor.[1][2] He served as the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research under Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali.[3][4][5][6]

Biography

Early life

Moncef Ben Salem was born on 1 April 1953. He received a BA degree in Mathematics and Physics 1972 and a master's degree in Maths in 1974.[4][5][7] He received PhDs in Maths and Physics from the University of Toulouse and Supméca in Paris.[4][5][7] He was a member of the Union of Arab Mathematicians and Physicians from 1980 to 1987.[7] He co-founded the Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax in 1983 [8]

Political activism and career

He was a member of the Ennahda Movement.[6] He was critical of Presidents Habib Bourguiba and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, calling Bourguiba a "zionist".[6] As a result of his political activism under Ben Ali, he was jailed for eighteen months from 1987 to 1989, and from 1990 to 1993.[6] In 1987, his passport was revoked, and he was forbidden from leaving Tunisia or travelling inside the country for twenty years, as were his children.[4][5] From 1993 to 2011, he was forced to live under surveillance.[6] He was also forbidden to work as a university professor.[4][5] During those years, he was supported by the Canadian Committee of Scientists and Scholars and the American Mathematical Society.[7] He later taught at the University of Maryland in the US, at the French National Centre for Scientific Research in France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, and at the University of Sfax in Tunisia.[4][6][7]

Minister

On 20 December 2011, after former President Ben Ali was deposed, he joined the Jebali Cabinet as Minister of Higher Education.[4][6][7]

Death

He died on March 24, 2015, leaving a widow and 4 children.[4][9][10]

References

  1. ^ (in French) [1] Babnet Dec'24th 2011
  2. ^ [2] leaders.com: Moncef is named a professor again
  3. ^ CIA World Leaders
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Moncef Ben Salem". Leaders (in French). Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  5. ^ a b c d e Biographie de M. Moncef Ben Salem, nouveau ministre de l'Enseignement superieur et de la recherche scientifique Archived 2012-01-07 at the Wayback Machine, Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, 24 December 2011
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Ahmed Medien, Moncef Ben Salem Archived 2012-10-14 at the Wayback Machine Tunisia Live, 12 December 2011
  7. ^ a b c d e f Dr. Moncef Ben Salem to visit the Fields Institute, Fields Institute, 20 March 2012
  8. ^ "Moncef Ben Salem nommé professeur de l'enseignement supérieur". Leaders (in French). Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  9. ^ (in French) Death of Moncef Ben Salem Business News March 24, 2015
  10. ^ [3] (in Arabic)