Tunisia has several public engineering schools, contributing to the democratization of higher education. The country also has private engineering schools.
Table 1: Tunisia Engineering Students by Gender (2020-2021) [1]
| Establishment | Number of Students | Number of Women Students | % of Women Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public | 36,085 | 16,056 | 44.5% |
| Private | 9,357 | 2,584 | 27.6% |
| Total | 45,442 | 18,640 | 41% |
Between 2017 and 2022, 70% of university graduates in Tunisia were women, and 64% of engineering students enrolled in doctoral studies were women. [2] UNESCO’s report, which focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, shows that Algeria (48.5%), Tunisia (44.2%), Syria (43.9%), Oman (43.2%) and Morocco (42.2%) are among the highest proportions of women engineering graduates in 2021 (the average is 28%).[3]
In 2021, 50% of university professors were women, and 20% were associate professors and professors leading research units and laboratories. An increasing number of women hold patents.
Since the 1980s, with the emergence of the independent feminist movement, several women have reached positions of power. Between 1983 and 2025, 80 women were appointed ministers or secretaries of state. Fethia Mzali, former president of the National Union of Tunisian Women (UNFT), founded in 1956, was the first woman appointed minister in 1983. Between 1983 and 2011, women doctors were the most numerous to join the government, in charge of the Departments of Health and the Secretariats of State, and Ministers of Social Affairs or Women’s Affairs, Family, Children and the Elderly.
Professor Souad Lyagoubi, former dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, was the first woman to head the Ministry of Health. Among the 10 women doctors who have reached the top of the governmental hierarchy, eight were academics. Another group, women judges, emerged with the “Arab Spring.” Of the five women judges, three headed the Ministry of Justice, and one of these is currently Minister of Justice.
The distinctive feature of women engineers in Tunisia is their widespread representation within the government. In addition to women engineers representing the largest group of women holding positions in successive governments from 1999 until today, 13 women engineers have been Secretaries of State or Ministers, and two have been appointed Heads of Government. In the period between 1983 and 2011, there were three women engineers in the government; this increased to 10 between 2011 and 2025.
Table 2: Number of Women Engineers in the Tunisian Government Before and After 2011
| Period | Women Doctors | Women Engineers | Women Judges |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 to 2011 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 to 2025 | 4 | 10 | 5 |
| Total | 10 | 13 | 5 |
Here, we would like to provide a brief overview of Najla Bouden and Sarra Zaafrani, both of whom became prime ministers.
Najla Bouden, born in Kairouan in 1958, is an engineer and academic. She was the first woman in Tunisia and in the Arab world to be appointed Prime Minister, a position she held from October 2021 to August 2023.
The daughter of a teacher at Sadiki College (the first Tunisian institution to integrate the teaching of science and foreign languages), she inherited a passion for science from her father. She obtained her engineering degree in 1983, completed her doctorate at the Ecole des Mines de Paris in 1987, and joined the Tunisian University faculty. Starting in 2011, she held various positions at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Sarra Zaafrani, born in Tunis in 1963, was appointed Prime Minister on March 21, 2025. She graduated from the National School of Engineers of Tunis and holds a master’s degree in geotechnical engineering from the University of Hanover in Germany. She attended the Tunisian National School of Administration and the National Defense Institute. She speaks Arabic, French, English, and German.
In 1989, she joined the General Directorate of Bridges and Roads at the Ministry of Equipment, where she led various projects. Appointed Minister of Equipment and Housing in October 2021, she is among the few ministers and women members of Kais Saied’s government who have held their positions since 2021.
[1] MESRS : L’enseignement supérieur et la recherche scientifique en chiffres. (2020/2021)
[2] Adel Bousnina. “Female employment in Tunisia: Tunisian women in public fife in certain “Nobles” professions.” REMSES, Vol 9 – N.1 (2024) (In French)
[3] UNESCO report, produced with the support of the Ipsen Foundation.
