Open Events to the Public

Design Culture Day — Fall 2022

Several of the workshops served as design interventions. For example, Elie Baroud mentored a group of students in the creation of a proposal to transform an unused area, the sidewalk outside the building, into a functional, inclusive, and lively space. On the other hand, Elie Mouhanna guided students in making renovations to the student lounge. George Hanna worked with students in proposing plans to improve building’s cafeteria while, students in Cedric Jacquemyn’s workshop examined the design possibilities of the building’s rooftop, a space that was still incomplete.

However, not all the workshops intervened on specific spaces. For instance, Mabelle Sawan’s workshop addressed the building more comprehensively through environmental graphic design and wayfinding. Mayda Freije’s workshop “If Vision Was Not an Option” took a different approach as students were guided through a series of exercises that considered the perceptions of visually impaired individuals. Lastly, Carla Hage and Melissa Plourde Khoury worked with a group of students to collectively write a manifesto representing their expectations of the Gezairi Building. Click here to read the Manifesto

Summer Camps: Enhancing High Schoolers’ Learning Experience

The School of Arts and Sciences offers 11th graders university-level online courses and partial scholarships.

LAU’s School of Arts and Sciences (SoAS) held the ninth edition of its summer camps online, attracting enthusiastic students from across Lebanon to learn about their favorite subjects in a stimulating and interactive environment.  

The camps are among the school’s social engagement and outreach activities that aim to inform Grade 11 students about education opportunities during a week of university-level courses offered in subjects of their interest.

The free camps spanned translation, English creative and speech writing, computing, nutrition and food science, chemistry and the newly added mathematics.

By the end of the week, up to six students from each camp won partial scholarships to LAU for their final projects. 

The high schoolers’ attendance, despite the deteriorating situation and constant power cuts, was commended by SoAS Dean Cathia Jenainati.

“There are many reasons why many of you could have dropped out of the camp. There are many reasons why this could not go on,” she said during the online closing ceremony. “But despite all of this, here you were. You enjoyed the camps and our dedicated instructors as usual turned up to run them.”

It is the young people’s “strong spirit,” added Dr. Jenainati, that enriches education. “We are feeding on your spirit, your enthusiasm, your hope and your dedication and all of that energy that you bring to us.”

Thanking them for their participation, Dr. Jenainati pointed out that the camps reflected “one percent of the kind of fun and intellectual engagement you will have at LAU were you to join us in the future.”

Assistant Dean Samer Habre reaffirmed the school’s commitment to the summer camps regardless of the dire conditions in the country, hoping they would be “a learning curve for the students and also a rewarding experience in terms of the knowledge they gain and in terms of the scholarships they win.”

Each camp introduced the participants to principles of the subject they are studying.

In chemistry, campers discovered diverse experimental procedures, virtually isolated natural products and synthesized medicinal active ingredients. In the nutrition and food science camp, modules included macro and micronutrients, energy balance and weight regulation, nutrition-related diseases, physical activity, eating disorders and food safety.

“I was so surprised,” said Emma Sleiman, a chemistry camper. “Who would have thought that during only five days, you, professors [Elie] Akoury and [Brigette] Wex, have succeeded in giving us the vision, and that vision is seeing ourselves as chemists.”

A student in the nutrition and food science camp, Rasha Saad, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to take part in the course, describing it as organized and informative.

“The information I learned from this was not just applied; it was one that I could talk to other people about, as nutrition is a part of our lives,” she said, adding that the camp was also an opportunity to share a class with students from across the country.

Instructors from the Department of Computer Science and Mathematics introduced students to Python – one of the most commonly used programming languages – and in Logic and Proofs covered the rules of logic in distinguishing between valid and invalid mathematical arguments.

“This experience with LAU was very engaging, intensive and very challenging,” said computing student Ghassan Abboud. “There was some advantage to it being online because we were able to start coding right away and better understand the concepts involved.”

What he liked most about the camp, he added, was the fact that “not only did it teach you how to code in Python, but also how to learn Python on your own, how to figure out the resources.” Experimenting with the actual process of developing an idea, designing the code and fixing any bugs left him with a sense of achievement.

In the newly introduced mathematics camps, Riham Al Bayaa said that despite the poor internet connection, instructors always provided a solution through recorded sessions.

The English speech writing camp trained campers to communicate with better clarity and impact, while the English creative writing sessions were designed to foster an appreciation of literary works and help students refine their creative writing skills.

“I loved the activities, how they challenged you on the spot and how they kept everything on blackboard so that you could always go back to them anytime. Our instructors were more like friends,” said camper Nancy Slim. “I felt I really belonged here, with the groups of amazing students and teachers.”

Last but not least, the translation summer camp familiarized students with a rich array of texts, including journalistic, legal, scientific, technical and business, in addition to some approaches in translation.

“This program introduced us to LAU and the translation camp educated us in different fields and topics, such as coronavirus, fake news and more. It was also a chance to make new friends. It was fun and helpful; I would recommend others to enroll next year,” said camper Roumi El Helou. 

The summer camps have proven to be an excellent tool to attract high-achieving students and to provide education opportunities through scholarships.

“Summer camp students who later join LAU, especially the ones who win scholarships, are a sample of the student population we are seeking to expand,” said Dr. Habre.

“Campers have shown since the inception of the camps nine years ago that they rank among the best, earning high GPAs, winning best capstone awards, and being academically engaged in their fields. Many of them have pursued graduate degrees, which attests to their academic excellence,” he added.

International Conference: Women, Religion, & Human Rights

On June 27 and 28, 2022, The AiW and the Department of Social & Education Sciences, co-organized with Adyan Foundation, and Danmission an International Conference on: “Women, Religion and Human Rights” at the Lebanese American University (LAU). The conference convened scholars and different religious figures to discuss the stance of women in the interpretations of biblical and qur’anic texts and in personal status codes in Lebanon, the Arab World, and South Asia (particularly Hinduism).

On June 27, the first panel titled “Reading and Reinterpreting Scriptures”, considered the possibilities of re-interpreting the scriptures of holy books to deconstruct the patriarchal understandings of biblical and qur’anic texts. Then, the second panel titled “Unreading Patriarchy and Producing Feminist Knowledge” discussed, in an attempt to uplift the status of women in religion, possible alternative feminist interpretations of traditional and conservative exegeses. Building on the rereading of holy texts, the third panel titled “Negotiating with the Discourse and the Perception of Women” assessed the social and legal statuses of women in religious texts with respect to the private and public spheres. Finally, the fourth panel titled “Different Stakeholders in Conversation: Religion, State, CSOs and International Documents” discussed the work of different organizations, of which are religious institutions, in developing strategies to accommodate and safeguard women’s rights in religion, yet through an acknowledgment of equality standards and human rights.

On the second day, on June 28, the first panel titled “Between Theory and Practice: Personal Status Laws in Lebanon” ushered an in-depth discussion of women’s rights in marriage, divorce, and custody in Muslim and Christian courts. This discussion set the ground for the second and third panels titled “Reforms in Personal Status Laws: Examples and Best Practices” and “Possible Reforms in Personal Status Laws and their Challenges” which addressed the challenges to instate an absolute recognition of women’s rights in personal status codes. Finally, the last panel titled “Raising Awareness and Advocating for Change” presented prospects for legal reforms and for countering misunderstandings and patriarchal interpretations of holy texts.

On a final note, the conference organizers shed light on some of the most important ideas shared, presented their concluding remarks and agreed to produce future publications on the topics discussed. They further reiterated the importance of pursuing collaborative work between Adyan and LAU.

Zero Waste Fashion: An Eco-Design Marathon

The Fashion Design Program is holding a workshop in collaboration with the United Nations.

The training aims to motivate the future decision makers to think and plan their designs in a sustainable zero waste approach.

The event will feature lecturers and experts on the topic, as well as hands on activities, to offer to the students an innovative, inspiring, and immersive experience.

A History of Arab Graphic Design: Q&A with Haytham Nawar

Haytham Nawar is a practicing artist and designer, as well as a scholar in the fields of art and design. He has built his professional and academic career over the past two decades simultaneously fulfilling the different roles. While Nawar’s extensive experience spans continents, in 2014, he pursued his academic career as an Assistant Professor of Design at the American University in Cairo (AUC), where he served as Director of the Graphic Design Program from 2016 to 2019 before holding the post of Chair of the Department of the Arts at AUC since 2019. Nawar is a two-time Fulbright Grantee. Besides his academic career, Nawar is the founding director of Cairotronica, Cairo International Electronic and New Media Arts Festival, Egypt. Cairotronica is a biannual festival that takes place in Cairo since 2016. He is also the author of Language of Tomorrow and the co-author, with Bahia Shehab, of A History of Arab Graphic Design. 

Panel Discussion - Healthy Eating and Weight Management Mythbusting by Experts

The Alumni Relations Office in collaboration with the Nutrition Program at the Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, organized a panel discussion on the Beirut campus on June 23, 2022.

The event started out with dietitians who are LAU alumni, and who were available for individual consultations on proper diet programs. Followed by a panel discussion, which featured:

Dr. Nadine Zeeni, Associate Professor of Nutrition at LAU, Dr. Myriam El Khoury Malhame, Assistant Professor and Program Lead of Psychology at LAU and Dr. George El Khoury, Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery, LAU Medical Center - Rizk Hospital. The panel was moderated by Dr. Hussein Hassan, Director of Academic Compliance, Provost’s Office and Associate Professor of Food Science and Technology.

KEEP LEARNING Alumni Lecture: The Future of Marketing

KEEP LEARNING alumni lecture: The Future of Marketing by Dr. Zahy Ramadan & Dr. Maya F. Farah

Keep Learning Alumni Webinar: Resilience in Extreme Contexts by Leadership and Business Advisor: Rabee Fares

International award-winning leadership coach Rabee Fares offered an eye-opening session that was of great benefit to all those in executive  or leadership positions across industries.

Rabee spoke about extreme events and extreme contexts, adapting to extreme contexts and how to bring out your best and the best of others in extreme contexts.

Silicon Valley Tech Learning at LAU

Holberton software engineering school brings its capacity-building programs to Lebanon in partnership with the university.

In its latest move to enhance the career prospects of Lebanese youth in a globally competitive job market, LAU has signed an agreement with Holberton, a software engineering school founded in Silicon Valley with 27 campuses in five continents. The partnership was made possible by Lebanese businessman Alexandre Harkous who gifted LAU the Holberton Lebanon license he held through his fintech company StartechEUS.

With student employability at the heart of Holberton’s approach, its graduates have landed jobs in software engineering across all industries and at top tech companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, IBM, Tesla and the like.

The Holberton learning method provides Silicon Valley-level training for software development jobs. Based on the premise that computer engineering involves a mix of technical and soft skills, the school offers a collaborative project-based environment where students work with their peers across campuses. Students also have access to the Holberton network and alumni community.

The courses are practical and are not taught by teachers. Instead, much like a real-job tech setup, students are given increasingly difficult tasks to solve. Guided by experts or faculty members, they draw on their soft skills – such as problem-solving, critical thinking, communication and teamwork – and rely on peer collaboration across campuses. In the process, they are continually upscaling their skillset.

Classes are intensive and held daily. The admission process, like the learning methodology, consists of a series of mini-challenges that the student must complete to qualify.

By opening a Holberton school in Lebanon, one of the best capacity-building and training programs in computer engineering, LAU would be “empowering Lebanese technology-driven students, and giving them the opportunity to grow, thrive and realize their potential by equipping them with the required skills to compete in the local, regional and international markets,” said Dr. Elie Badr, vice president for Business Development and Global Affairs.

In the current situation in the country, he added, “we believe that the impact of Holberton school programs will provide a positive role in the Lebanese economy.”

The programs will be housed at LAU’s Academy of Continuing Education, based on the Beirut campus, where a dedicated team of faculty and staff will provide support from a local perspective to software engineering issues, onboarding assistance during the first week, monitoring and guidance during Peer Learning Days, and mock interviews.

The Holberton specialization programs, all based on three-month modules, are Machine Learning & AI (artificial intelligence), AR/VR (augmented and virtual reality), Web React, Blockchain & Cryptocurrency, Front-End Web Development and Back-End Web Development.

As students gain deep knowledge in computer science, they will be able to build web servers or websites, implement a blockchain, create a mobile app or CRM dashboard, configure a bot or a chatbot, devise facial recognition and object detection codes, create video games, build marketplaces, create VR / standing VR experiences, and more.

LAU-ACE is offering the programs at a more affordable price than any other Holberton campus around the world, and the university is working on securing full scholarships from different foundations to help Lebanese tech students enroll.

Launched in July 2020, Holberton Middle East has so far trained more than 90 students enrolled in different specialization programs. The first upcoming cohort at LAU-ACE will be starting with Blockchain as of March 6, 2023.

At the signing ceremony on December 20, Provost George E. Nasr, representing LAU President Michel E. Mawad who was called away on a trip, conveyed the president’s delight in the university’s association with Mr. Harkous and in this collaborative agreement “which is aligned with the university’s mission to help the workforce of tomorrow and meet the requirements of the new generation.”

Mr. Harkous, who left Lebanon in 1985 for Paris and worked as a computer engineer in Europe and the US, returned to Lebanon in 2019, when he decided to purchase the Holberton Middle East license through his company StartechEUS. His reasons for doing so, he said, were because he “wanted to give back to his country and the Lebanese youth, secondly because nothing happens without technology nowadays, and thirdly because one had to be surrounded by the best people to deliver.”

Holberton, he added, is a sustainable school that is growing, and he was “more than happy to give it to LAU because we trust you to make sure that it helps the next generation.”

While Holberton Lebanon was Mr. Harkous’ gift-in-kind to LAU, thanks to him and his team the university has also signed an agreement to operate Holberton New York on LAU’s academic center in Manhattan as of June 5.

Commenting on these new venues, the CEO of the Holberton School Network Florian Bucher recently said: “We are very proud of this partnership with a great organization and great people at LAU. With these two new openings In Lebanon and New York, I really want to establish a strong partnership with LAU to join our strengths. We have more than 10 years’ experience training great software engineers in Silicon Valley, Europe and Latin America, and LAU has a very strong network and a great community of students in the Middle East.”

Online Learning “Media and Palestine”

From LAU’s first course for Open, Online Learning “Media and Palestine”.

We are glad to announce that the “Media and Palestine” fully online, 30 hours, free of cost Course, currently has 81 participants from #Lebanon, #Jordan, #Morrocco, #Palestine, #Syria and other #countries, registered for the Fall 2023 semester.

To all aspiring journalists and Palestinian studies enthusiasts, the course will be available again in the Fall 2024 semester!

The Readers’ Club Engages Youth in Local Communities

In pursuit of its mission to grow its national outreach and empower readers, the LAU Libraries Readers’ Club partnered with the Institute of Management and Services to host a roundtable book discussion for young girls in Maad village, Byblos. In line with the LAU Libraries’ strategic goal to promote social responsibility, the club anticipates sparking further intellectual dialogues and building connections within rural communities around the country.

Roundtable Discussion Spotlights Corporate Social Responsibility

Faculty and students from the Adnan Kassar School of Business examined sustainability and development initiatives in Lebanon and the region together with industry stakeholders.

Academics, consultants, business executives and students joined a roundtable discussion at the Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB) on sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the Lebanese market and opportunities for further collaboration.

Underlining the university’s firm belief in CSR, Dean Wassim Shahin spoke about how it has been “embedded in raising responsible leaders,” as LAU remains committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to building robust collaborations with key players in the industry to help achieve those goals.

Sharing the global perspective, Chair of the Marketing Department and Associate Professor Maya Farah touched on how businesses have been integrating CSR activities in operational and strategic work plans. “While the MENA region is keeping up faster than expected, CSR undertakings in Lebanon unfortunately remain sporadic,” added Dr. Farah.

The roundtable discussion was attended by representatives from Egypt-based firm, Aspire, and Dubai-based agency, Blue Green Consultancy, who expanded on how their organizations have been fostering sustainability and development ideas. 

From Lebanon, CEO of Cedar Environmental Park Ziad Abi Chaker explained how they had revived the glass-blowing craft to minimize waste, empower craftspeople and build sustainable solutions to address the garbage crisis in the country.

CSR Manager at Fattal Group Ghida Ibrahim shared multiple initiatives by the company that are geared toward building awareness, educating youth and empowering people to adopt sustainable solutions.

Similarly, L’Oréal empowers different communities in unique ways by linking beauty to sustainability and social responsibility, said the company’s Corporate Affairs and Engagement Director Samira Franjieh. Worldwide, the multinational company had contributed to reducing carbon emissions by 48 percent by adopting proper plans in their freight carriers and shipments.

Several LAU staff, faculty and students highlighted the different efforts exerted by the university, especially through campus life initiatives by student clubs.  Assistant to the President for Special Projects Saad El Zein further discussed the various community health activities that LAU’s medical centers have led, including PCR testing and vaccination campaigns, and the pioneering LAU Mobile Clinic.

Associate Professor Grace Dagher also explained how AKSOB embraces a CSR approach across both its academic and non-academic programs.

At the school, added Assistant Professor of Practice Dunia Harajli, “social responsibility is integrated into the curriculum through a mandatory civic engagement course for all LAU students to help build a better future for the country.”

Dr. Abi-Gerges Presents Research on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases

A research project conducted by Assistant Professor of Physiology at the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine Aniella Abi-Gerges has been selected for an oral presentation at the French-Lebanese Day for Research organized by the French Embassy. Funded by the Partenariat Hubert Curien Cèdre, Dr. Abi-Gerges’ research focuses on how cardiac phosphodiesterases are differentially increased in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Sustainability at the Academy of Continuing Education

The LAU Academy of Continuing Education (ACE) contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the content and outcomes of its diverse programs. It offers more than 65 courses in various modalities: remote, in-person, hybrid and asynchronous. Through these offerings, the academy contributes to SDG 4: Quality Education as they are presented to the public and the community beyond the university’s student body. They also address SDG 17; Partnership for the Goals as they tackle and promote the SDGs.

Two of the academy’s offerings stand out as having demonstrated a far-reaching impact in Lebanon. The Crafts, Arts and Vocational programs have, for two years now, encouraged women to develop their own enterprises in partnership with artisans and entrepreneurs. A similar program, the Women Entrepreneurship Diploma Program, advocates for gender inclusivity in the Lebanese labor market, by offering women in rural and peri-urban areas the opportunity to build their skills and identify their business niche. Each of these programs has reached more than 200 women across the country, contributing to SDG4: Quality Education and SDG5: Gender Equality.

Increased power cuts in Lebanon over recent years due to the economic and financial crises have led to a demand for alternative power sources, particularly solar power. In the context of an unorganized market and a shortage of trained professionals, ACE developed a training program to build the capacities of photovoltaic (PV) technicians in the solar energy market. The program encompasses around 100 hours of training on design and engineering, installation and safety, commercial and legal aspects, and work ethics, addressing SDG7: Affordable and Clean Energy.

On the inclusivity front, ACE has established a number of programs to help build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions across the board. A couple of programs stand out.

The second is a specially designed teacher-training program for every cohort of Teach for Lebanon fellows, namely fresh graduates who go on to teach in underserved schools across the country. Through this, the academy serves SDG1: No Poverty and SDG10: Reduced Inequalities as the program seeks to improve access to basic services for all. Both programs also attest to the academy’s contribution to SDG16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

A wide array of other courses, certificates, diplomas and training programs at ACE also attest to SDG3: Good Health and Well-Being, such as the Food Safety Program, offered to industry professionals in collaboration with the ministries of Industry and Agriculture. Other programs promote fitness, mental health and risk management, and are offered to healthcare professionals, health coaches and psychologists.