Lebanese University Development in Service of Society

Introduction

Any strategy for developing the Lebanese University cannot be separated from the comprehensive political approach that the government is supposed to adopt in terms of national education, higher education and scientific research.

Given that the level of advancement and progress of nations is measured by the level of education, the Lebanese University works in cooperation and coordination between its President, council, deans, directors, professors and employees to set up plans and strategies for the development of the education system by opening new specializations and tracks to serve the needs of the labor market and society.

Based on the principle that every student has the right to obtain an advanced level of knowledge, the University is not limited to securing higher education for its students, but continues to work on improving the quality of education that is strengthened through its independence, in addition to adopting and placing information technology at the service of students, professors and administrators.

Raising the value of the budget is the cornerstone in the support of the Lebanese University in order to be able to complete the implementation of the terms of its development strategy, even if the University has made important steps on more than a level in recent years, which have made it achieve in addition to each of its faculties, the accreditation from the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES), and obtain high ranks in international university ranking organizations (QS – World and Arab region, THE - Impact and Ranking).

1. Lebanese University Development Strategy (2016-2021)

1.1 Finance

·       Bridging the LBP 98 billion deficit resulting from University dues in October 2019 pursuant to the policy of creating financial balance - (Implemented)

·       Achieving significant savings of more than 20 percent of the various costs related to University purchases without compromising quality, which allowed to invest the saved sums in the research field at the University. Such saving was achieved by forming a tender committee composed of professors from different specializations and by unifying specifications - (Implemented)

·       Increasing the budget value - (Not Implemented)

·       Transforming the University into a financially productive institution - (Implemented)

1.2 Administration

·       Organizing the administrative formalities, and adopting new systems that contribute to speeding them up, automating information, linking faculty departments with the Central Administration, and rationalizing spending - (Partly Implemented)

·       Establishing a process to ensure regularity in registering the attendance of professors and employees (for the purpose of transportation fees) - (Implemented)

1.3 Human Resources

1.3.1 Working Staff

·       Processing the staff file and redistributing its members according to the needs of the faculties, removing unjustified discrepancies between their contracts, registering them in social security services, applying the Salary Scale Law to all contractual staff under draft reconciliation contracts in order to pay them their monthly salaries - (Implemented)

·       Introducing eligible contractual staff into the full-time service through a restricted competition organized by the Civil Service Council - (not implemented)

·       Conducting an open competition by the Civil Service Council to complete the number of staff required by the University - (not implemented)

1.3.2 Teaching Staff

·       Preparing and submitting the file of professors eligible to full-time service according to the University's need, to the Ministry of Education – (Implemented)

·       Preparing and submitting the file of professors eligible to tenured positions according to the University's need, to the Ministry of Education – (Implemented)

·       Introducing professors to the full-time service system – (Not Implemented)

·       Introducing professors to the tenured positions– (Not Implemented)

1.4 University Buildings

·       Opening the Mont Michel Compound in Rasmaska, North Lebanon – (Implemented)

·       Completing the construction of the Mont Michel Compound – (Ongoing)

·       Establishing a university compound in the Beqaa region – (Ongoing)

·       Completing the legal formalities for the construction of the Hermel, Akkar and Byblos compounds – (Implemented)

·       Establishing a University Medical Center in Hadath – (Ongoing)

1.5 Academic & Research Levels

1.5.1 Academic Level

·       Establishing the University Educational Excellence Center for Capacity Development – (Implemented)

·       Establishing new specializations in various faculties - (Implemented)

·       Students and professors participating in local and international competitions, ranking first and obtaining honors by the University in various events – (Implemented)

·       Rationalizing work in all doctoral schools by restricting the number of students admitted for registering in the PhD Degree at the LU – (Implemented)

1.5.2 Research Level

·       Establishing the Academic Research and Development Office – (Implemented)

·       Holding scientific conferences and specialized symposiums, and converting their recommendations and decisions into work projects and plans – (Implemented)

·       Activating and expanding the Research Ethics Committee to include human and social sciences – (Implemented)

·       Establishing the Intellectual Property Office – (Implemented)

·       Establishing the Academic Audit Office - (Not Implemented)

·       Transferring part of the budget savings to the scientific research budget - (Implemented)

·       Issuing digital research journals on the LU website - (Implemented)

1.6 Students

·       Issuing the bylaws of the National Union of Lebanese University Students under Decision No. 2362 dated 4 September 2019 - (Implemented)

·       Establishing the LU Sports Club - (Implemented)

1.7 Local & International Partnerships

·       Partnerships with municipalities and local partners to achieve sustainable development - (Implemented)

·       Concluding agreements with ministries and public institutions in order for the government to benefit from LU competencies and capabilities - (Implemented)

·       Concluding international agreements to exchange expertise, students and professors, and develop the research field - (Implemented)

1.8 Preservation of LU heritage and future of human capital

·       Establishing the Legal Office - (Not Implemented)

·       Establishing the Office of Former Presidents - (Implemented)

·       Establishing the Alumni Office - (Implemented)

·       Establishing the Center of Professions, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Center MINE) - (Implemented)

1.9 Communication

·       Establishing the Office of Communication & Information - (Implemented)

·       Creating a new interactive website for the University - (Ongoing)

2. The University in the service of society

The LU cannot perform its full role in social change without achieving interaction between the individual and the social environment.

Between 2019 and 2020, the economic, social and health conditions of life in Lebanon have changed, in addition to the repercussions of the crisis caused by the Beirut Port Blast. As a result, the Lebanese University emerged as an institution of solidarity, social commitment and patriotism at various levels and in multiple ways, whether in the fight against Coronavirus or the treatment of the blast repercussions.

The LU intervention began with a group of volunteers from the Faculty of Medical Sciences in the "Corona Unit" of the Rafik Hariri University Hospital. Such intervention expanded to include volunteers from the Faculty of Medical Sciences and the Faculty of Science who worked in the PCR test labs and the Call Center of the Ministry of Public Health. They also participated in the Ministry in testing arrivals to Lebanon at the Rafik Hariri International Airport and border crossings with Syria, and in awareness campaigns.

Volunteers from the Faculty of Letters & Human Sciences - Department of Psychology provided psychological follow-up to COVID-19 patients and their families.

With initiatives supported by the LU and industrial entities, a group of students and professors of the Faculty of Science and Faculty of Engineering volunteered to design medical devices, such as artificial respiratory devices to help patients and robots to protect the medical staff, a number of which were delivered to Rafik Hariri University Hospital and President Elias Hrawi Public Hospital in Zahle.

LU professors and students made additional efforts to complete the e-learning and teaching process, for which they developed the (NOTER) application.

Following the disaster of the Beirut Port Blast on 4 August 2020, students of a number of LU faculties participated through the LU Task Force in removing rubble and helping the people affected inside their homes. A specialized team of professors and students of the Faculty of Fine Arts & Architecture in cooperation with the Order of Engineers and Architects and the UNESCO surveyed the damage and drew up reports and plans for the restoration of Beirut's heritage homes and museums, and the physical reintegration of the Port with its surroundings.

The "Nehna Haddak" initiative team from the Department of Psychology also followed up on those affected by the blast, and volunteers from the Faculty of Dental Medicine worked on treating teeth of those in need.

Updated on 30 November 2020