Interview with professor Kamel Beji.

-Mr. Kamel Beji-

Mr Kamel, it is an honour for us to have this interview with you today. So could you please introduce yourself and present your academic path and career?

 Hello, so my name is Kamel Beji, I am associate professor in Laval University, CANADA, since 2006. I was student in economics at Sfax University and after that I went to Toulouse in order to achieve my PhD which was about an Economic Analysis of Public Employment in Tunisia. After that, I went to CANADA for post doctoral and I was specialized in labour economics, industrial economics and social economics.

                        What do you think of Tunis Business School?

 I think it's a good experience, as it is the first school following the American model which I think is a good model because it provides some flexibility for students and also for the professors. But it needs at least 4 or 5 years to be a solid model, and I am positive about the future of TBS. 

  And what about the students?

 The students don't depend on the school itself. All Tunisian students have the same mentality and it is difficult to adjust it and adapt it to the American model. So, the students coming here have to know exactly what kind of model the school follows before coming. Well, I think that there are some serious students and some... let's say other students who are not really serious maybe because they don't understand the usefulness of the system.

  As you said, you are a professor in CANADA, so what are the differences between Laval University and Tunis Business School?

 The most important difference is paying for studies. In the Canadian model, students pay for classes so when I teach 120 or 130 students in the same classroom and I come late, they will be waiting for me. But here, sometimes I wait for more than 10 minutes and I even go to the “café” and ask them ''Please, can you come to class?''. So, I think it's not the same mentality simply because when we pay for studies as an investment we are more serious, this is what I noticed. As for other differences, it is just some administrative points. One day we will change our mentality. Students must know what they will do with their diplomas before coming to school.

  Do you think that it will be a good procedure to make people pay for their studies?

 As I said, I'm a social economist, and in a country like Tunisia where education was very important in the period of independence. I think we have to invest in the public education but not the private education because the private field creates disequilibrium between people. I don't want to see in Tunisia rich people educated and the poor are not. But we can change in the public policy for the better of future education. Because for now, the government has all the priorities without including education and it is really sad.

  We found on a website ratemyprofessor.com that you had an overall rate of 4.3/5, what do you think about that?

  

 Yes, I saw it too, and I am glad that some of my students are happy. I'm not a classical teacher, and maybe it is because of my relationship with them; I listen to all students and I try to improve myself and my way of teaching, and that will only be done with mutual respect. I like teaching and communicating with people and I want to be an eternal student. I learn a lot from students. 

  We heard that you are a good football player, and we see clearly that you are a dynamic teacher in class. Do you think that there is a relationship between the two sides?

 Well, I can't teach sitting on the desk. I have to feel people, ask students if they understand or not, and I can understand the answer by the look in their eyes. I played volleyball in Sfax for 5 years and maybe that made me dynamic in class. In CANADA, at the beginning of the academic year, we arrange a football match, students against professors, and after that there will be always good respect from students.

  How can sports contribute to the students' personality building?

 Yes, every time I give the example of sports to show the importance of having and working in a team and supporting each other. So sports teach us how to cope with hard situations. So, yes, sports are very important in one's life.

  Let's talk a little bit about the economic situation in Tunisia, what can you say about it?

 I'm a little bit disappointed about what is happening because I was dreaming of an economic revolution in Tunisia. Economic revolution means that all the institutions change. In my theoretical research, I'm not a liberal or neo classical economist, I'm an institutional economist and I believe that institutions must change in Tunisia but now what I see is the same situation, nothing has changed. It is true that people in charge have changed but policy is exactly the same, and I'm afraid for the new Tunisia. People who have the power now are following a liberal model and for Tunisia, I think that we have to develop something coming from internal Tunisia. But until now, we are talking about how to get some funds from Qatar or from USA or Europe and this is exactly what we did in the 80's. Now we have to find solutions coming from Tunisia with maybe micro credits to build a solidarity-based economy. Also, people have to understand that economy is not only financial; it is health, education and employment. However, there are some positive issues; we used to hear only one voice which belonged to the government and today we hear more than one voice in this new democracy. Therefore, there are many choices for us to decide what economic policy we will follow. The question after that is ''Which opinions will be taken into account?''

  You said earlier that you have some solutions for Tunisian economy, what are they?

 Well, as I'm specialized in labour economics, I can have some solutions. In industrial economics, innovation is very important. Today's solutions must be based on how to encourage young people to innovate, and to develop new sectors or new products. Tunisians are known for their intelligence and innovation; we can see it everywhere. But there is no support. You know the API (Agency of Industry’s Promotion), in Ben Ali's regime. Its funds were only given to the family and its friends, now we have a historical chance to give these funds to people who deserve them. So that is what I hope to see, and I wish we could continue to hope. I am afraid one day we can't hope anymore.

  Now what about a final word?

 Yes, maybe a word for the students. Well, I think that young people in general and students especially must know that they have the chance to go to university or to high school. It is a chance that many people do not have, so they have the obligation to honour it and give the best from themselves by improving their results and doing something for this country. They must be conscious about that now!

-Interview by Maissa Saidane -

-Written by Adnen Ben Haj Yahia-

Posted in: professors