The President

Message from the President

Dear Friends,

With the existential challenges ­— a pandemic, the economic meltdown and political instability in the country — that currently threaten the core our mission, we should look upon this transitional period as an opportunity to take stock of our achievements and rethink our agenda.

Our obligation remains to plan for and invest in a brighter tomorrow for the youth. While our past accomplishments have given us a solid base in a world that is more complex and turbulent than ever, navigating the future will be far more demanding than anything we have experienced in the past. Competition will intensify immeasurably, and traditional methods in higher education will give way to exponentially progressive innovation.

To ensure the sustainability of the university and preserve our competitive edge, we must be prepared to reinvent ourselves, reassess our curricula, and find new ways to integrate the liberal arts.

Our most daunting challenge will be developing programs suited for the new digital world of online learning that is taking shape now. The other side of this challenge is graduating students with technical skills, behavioral traits, and personal values that set them apart and propel their alma mater to the high standing it deserves.

What lies ahead is nothing short of repositioning LAU as a leading center of innovative learning and putting it on a course of regional leadership and a solid global footprint. This is a task that requires the best we have and the best we can give. Embracing it together is what LAU needs and deserves. We can do no less.

Michel E. Mawad, M.D.
President