On 16 June 2022, President Bassam Badran and the LAF Commander in Chief General Joseph Aoun, signed at the Ministry of National Defense - Yarzeh two academic cooperation protocols between the Lebanese University and the Army Command, in the presence of a number of university deans and officers of the military command.

The first protocol provides for enabling officer cadets at the Military Academy to obtain a civil bachelor’s degree in one of the following majors: political geography, political science, and management informatics, in addition to their basic major that qualifies them to obtain a bachelor’s degree in military sciences.

The second protocol provides for the establishment of an administrative and academic master in military sciences at the Fouad Shehab Command and Staff College (CSC), to be linked to the unit of the Faculty of Law, Political & Administrative Sciences at the Lebanese University.

On May 12, 2022, the Lebanese University, represented by President Bassam Badran, signed a cooperation agreement with the American University of Science and Technology (AUST), represented by its President Hiyam Sakr, at the Central Administration.

The signing took place in the presence of Dr. Nabil Haidar, Dr. Georges Rahbani, Dr. Robert Garios, Dr. Rita Abou Sleiman, Prof. Mohamad Mohsen, Prof. Ali Kanj, Dr. Mohamad Jezzini, Dr. Véronique Gaspard, Dr. Bilal Barake, and Dr. Nadim Mansouri.

The agreement aims to facilitate cooperation in the field of scientific research, supervision of theses and dissertations, and the organization of conferences, seminars, scientific meetings, workshops and joint training courses.

The President of the Lebanese University, Professor Bassam Badran, signed a cooperation agreement on 8 April 2022 with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Kut University College in Iraq and the President of the Association of Iraqi Private Universities and Colleges, Dr. Talib Zidan Al-Mousawi, in the presence of Dr. Veronique Gaspard from the International Relations Office at the Lebanese University, Dr. Ghassan Ibrahim and Dr. Edmond Chibli.

During the signing of the agreement, which took place in the Central Administration building, the two parties agreed to exchange visits by members of the faculty and the administrative and technical bodies between the Lebanese University and Al-Kut University College. The parties agreed to provide training and exchange academic and research experiences in the medical and scientific fields in general, in addition to exchanging student delegations on scientific and cultural visits.

President Bassam Badran and Professor Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the university and “Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global (TAG Global) related to innovative education, quality education and training, and capacity-building in line with digital transformation.

The ceremony was held on 18 March 2022 in the Central Administration, in the presence of Professor Abu-Ghazaleh’s team and the Prime Minister's advisor for educational affairs, Dr. Hoda Nachabe, the deans and directors of the faculties of the Lebanese University, a group of academic and scientific figures, and professors and staff.

Following the opening ceremony, President Badran gave a speech saying:

“We are pleased to welcome you to your second country, Lebanon. On this occasion, I would like to thank you very much for your continued interest in our university.

The Memorandum of Understanding, which we are discussing today, is of great scope to form an effective framework of cooperation and scientific, professional and research participation between our university and your group.

The Lebanese University is the only public university in Lebanon. It is composed of 19 faculties and institutes. It hosts 80,000 students, 5,000 teachers, 4,000 employees, and courses ranging from bachelor to PhD. Our university has graduated more than 350,000 students in hundreds of majors. These graduates are today distributed in the national, regional and international job markets.

Your initiative comes in the light of the worst historical crisis that Lebanon is going through, which has had repercussions on higher education institutions, including the university. We hope that your initiative will create innovative solutions and cooperation agreements between our university and the institutions represented by your group.

Furthermore, we consider that the signing of the MoU will contribute to a qualitative change in the areas of governance, innovation, and intellectual property for the benefit of our university and our students.

As such, the university would like to benefit from the expertise and services provided by your group, including:


Knowledge stations: creation of a knowledge station at the Lebanese University in partnership between the two parties.
Quality of education: cooperation with the Arab Organization for Quality Assurance in Education (AROQA) through assessment processes, capacity building, including training courses, and adoption of the accredited quality assessor program.
The International Arab Society of Chartered Accountants: cooperation and coordination in the presentation of joint materials between the two parties and their adoption at the university.
Digital transformation and governance services: such as university management system, online examination program, archiving, as well as provision of services related to institutional governance, good governance and information technology governance. In addition to organizing joint training courses in digital transformation areas, such as artificial intelligence, data science, Internet of Things, digital transformation courses for education and others.
Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Digital Academy services: according to regulatory frameworks to be determined later.
Conferences and scientific research: cooperation in the field of scientific research and conferences.


This cooperation aims to meet the requirements of digital transformation and provide the necessary professional training. This will require curriculum development, with greater emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as teaching soft skills and adaptability.”

Professor Abu-Ghazaleh spoke on his personal experience in the science and business career and said: "The world entered the knowledge revolution, that is, the 4th industrial revolution, but the difference now is that it affects everything around us and our lives. We are facing a historical change and a historical opportunity to conquer everything”.

He added: “I put myself, my institution, and my colleagues at the service of the Lebanese University for digital transformation, especially since the UN classifies countries according to the digital education of their residents, and we are working to make every human being digitally educated, and we have the opportunity to transform this national university into a knowledge institution”.

Finally, the agreement was signed, and President Badran and Professor Abu Ghazaleh answered the attendees' questions, and shields of appreciation were exchanged between the parties.

The President of the Lebanese University, Professor Fouad Ayoub, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Arab Hospitals Federation, represented by Deputy Dr. Fadi Alama, in the presence of the member of the Board of Directors of the Federation and former Director General of the Ministry of Economy & Trade in Lebanon, Mrs. Alia Abbas, the Executive Director of the Federation, Ms. Alice Yammine, the Legal Adviser to the Federation, Mr. Naji Al-Hani, and the General Coordinator of the International Relations Office at the Lebanese University, Professor Zeinab Saad.

The memorandum aims to cooperate in the development of health care training programs at the Lebanese University, by organizing joint workshops and conferences, and conducting free awareness sessions and seminars for university students in all specializations and for public health professionals in particular.

The two parties commended the importance of this cooperation, which will inevitably benefit the Lebanese University and the Arab health sector.

The President of the Lebanese University, Professor Fouad Ayoub, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) represented by the Head of IP Office-Lebanon, Dr. Wissam El Amil, in the presence of the General Coordinator of the International Relations Office at the University, Professor Zainab Saad.

The memorandum aims to develop practical skills in graduate and other programs offered by the Lebanese University, through the participation of WIPO experts in training graduate students on various intellectual property topics, the exchange of information, books and periodicals, and the organization of research projects, conferences, programs and joint training activities in intellectual property.

The two parties commended the importance of this cooperation in developing training programs related to intellectual property at the Lebanese University.

President of the Lebanese University, Professor Fouad Ayoub, and Director of the UNESCO Office in Beirut, Ms. Costanza Farina, signed a letter on 14 June 2021 declaring the intent of cooperation and partnership between the two institutions, in the presence of the Minister of Education & Higher Education, Dr. Dr. Tarek al-Majzoub, HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Lebanon, Mohamed Hassan Jaber Al Jaber, and heads of a number of universities and educational and cultural institutions.

President Ayoub stressed the importance of this cooperation, especially in light of the current economic and health crises and the crisis that followed the disaster of the Beirut Port blast, which paralyzed the higher education sector and the Lebanese University.

President Ayoub pointed to the role of the UNESCO Beirut office in supporting the Lebanese University to rehabilitate the damaged buildings, within the framework of “Li-Beirut” initiative, where 20 faculties and the Central Administration building have been restored, and the remaining two faculties will be restored soon according to a precise plan after securing the necessary financial capabilities.

President Fouad Ayoub signed on 4 March 2021, a cooperation agreement with the University of Delhi in India, in the presence of Dr. Suhail Ajaz Khan, Ambassador of India to Lebanon, Dr. Jagjit Singh, Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy, Dr. Zeinab Saad, General Coordinator of the International Relations Office and Dr. Thouqan Germani, former Director of the Faculty of Economics & Business Administration (Branch 4).

The agreement aims to establish joint cooperation between the Lebanese University and the University of Delhi in the field of exchanging researchers, professors, students and academic experiences in areas of common interest, namely modern scientific and technological fields.

The two parties discussed the possibility of India assisting the Lebanese University with the tools and equipment required for distance education and learning, in addition to launching an initiative to support joint scientific research funded by the Indian government.

On 14 December 2020, the President of the Lebanese University, Professor Fouad Ayoub, signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Ottawa, Canada, which provided three educational scholarships for the Master and PhD students at the Lebanese University to allow them to pursue their education in Canada.

 

The electronic signature ceremony, which witnessed a similar agreement between the University of Ottawa and Saint Joseph University in Beirut (USJ), was attended by Mrs. Chantal Chastenay, Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mr. Fadi Ziadeh, Lebanon's Ambassador to Canada, Dr. Jacques Fremon, President of the University of Ottawa, writer Dr. Amin Maalouf, Dr. Salim Daccache, President of Saint Joseph University, Dr. Sanni Yaya, Vice-President, International and Francophonie, University of Ottawa, Mrs. Bouchra Adra, President of the National Association of Teachers of French in Lebanon, Ms. Régine Legault-Bouchard, Director of International Office, University of Ottawa, Mrs. Carla Edde, International Relations Officer at Saint Joseph University and Dr. Zeinab Saad, Coordinator of International Relations Office at the Lebanese University.

Dr. Adel El Zaïm, Chief Internationalization Officer, University of Ottawa, thanked the President of the Lebanese University, the President of Saint Joseph University, and all those who contributed to the success of this cooperation.

Dr. Sanni Yaya stressed the importance of supporting university youth by offering them scholarships to pursue their education.

Dr. Fremon stressed the importance of signing this agreement, which aims to help Lebanese youth to pursue their education, especially in light of the current difficult circumstances.

Dr. Salim Daccache, expressed his pleasure in cooperating with Canadian universities and the University of Ottawa, thanking them for their initiative to provide scholarships to Lebanese students in these difficult political, social, economic and health conditions.

Professor Fouad Ayoub, thanked everyone who contributed to the success of the signing of the cooperation agreement with the University of Ottawa, and called for support for student exchange to open new horizons for students and provide them with opportunities to discover cultures abroad and acquire new skills in various fields. He considered that despite the existence of electronic education, which has become a basic need in light of the global Coronavirus pandemic, student exchange remains important for the acquisition of modern knowledge and technologies.

Ambassador Chastenay stressed the importance of supporting university youth in order to build societies, welcoming Lebanese students to pursue their studies in Canada.

Ambassador Ziadeh stressed the importance of cooperation and support provided by the University of Ottawa for students of the Lebanese University and Saint Joseph University, pointing out that support for the educational sector is a productive work that reflects on societies, especially those witnessing difficult circumstances same as Lebanon.

The meeting ended with a speech of writer Amin Maalouf, who welcomed this promising gesture between educational institutions in Canada and Lebanon, especially towards the Lebanese University and Saint Joseph University.

In an initiative reflecting confidence in the Lebanese University, its laboratories and staff, Dr. Hamad Hassan, Minister of Public Health in the caretaker government, and Professor Fouad Ayoub, President of the Lebanese University, signed a cooperation agreement with Eng. Fadi Elhassan, Acting Director General of Civil Aviation at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, in the presence of Professor Bassam Badran, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Dr. Mahmoud Zalzali, Advisor to Minister Hassan.

Under the agreement, the Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Cancer Immunology of the Lebanese University will:


Perform PCR tests for arrivals via Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport;
Issue results for arrivals in home quarantine within a maximum of 48 hours from the test date and inform the Ministry of Public Health and those concerned of the results;
Issue results for arrivals in hotel quarantine within a maximum of 24 hours and inform the Ministry of Public Health and the relevant hotels of the results;
Receive samples taken from arrivals and enter test results to the expatriate platform for all arrivals who performed PCR test at the airport.


During the signing, which took place at the Ministry of Public Health on 1 October 2020, Minister Hassan pointed out that the agreement with the Lebanese University will ensure test validity and accuracy, and will complement the process established to cover PCR tests of arrivals to Lebanon which previously included land crossings.

Professor Ayoub pointed out that a group of specialized professors working in the laboratories of the University will follow up the implementation of the agreement with the administration of Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport. He appreciated the efforts made by the Faculty of Science and its laboratories to serve the community by conducting PCR tests for the Ministry free of charge, and praised the work of the Microbiology, Health and Environment Laboratory (LMSE) of the Doctoral School of Science & Technology accredited by the Ministry of Public Health to conduct PCR tests in Tripoli.

Engineer Elhassan indicated that the accuracy of the procedures followed at the airport compared to other airports in the world is the result of the cooperation between all bodies, in addition to the medical cooperation with the Lebanese University, which is the national institution enjoying the confidence of all Lebanese citizens.

Within the framework of the EU-funded project “Aquacycle” and with the aim of preserving and developing natural resources in order to achieve sustainable development, the Lebanese University represented by Professor Fawaz El Omar, Dean of the Doctoral School of Science & Technology (DSST) and the “Real Estate Company for the Development of Tripoli North, SANABEL” represented by Attorney Rami Sharqieh, signed a cooperation agreement related to wastewater treatment and reuse of treated water in the agricultural sector for the housing project in Dedde, Koura.

The agreement was signed on 24 September 2020 at the “AZM centre for research in biotechnology and its applications” of the Lebanese University in Tripoli, in the presence of Dr. Mohamad Khalil, Director of the Center, Dr. Ahmad El Moll, Project Scientific Officer, and employees and researchers working on the project from the Center.

Professor El Omar emphasized that the Lebanese University continues to support innovations and targeted research in the environmental sector, namely in the field of waste investment and recycling. He pointed out that the agreement is the first of its kind in Lebanon to achieve sustainable management of environmental, social and economic impacts and reduce operational expenditures related to water, energy and waste.

He revealed that the duration of the project is three years, during which a plant will be established to treat and convert wastewater into arable water, which will contribute to supporting environmental activities, programs and projects in a manner consistent with the national plans implemented by several ministries such as agriculture, environment, energy and water.

He added that the project constitutes a start towards adopting the methodology of integrated and sustainable management of water resources in Lebanon. The project is summarized by building a model plant in Dedde, Koura that includes three parts, (a) Anaerobic digestion and transforming the resulting sludge into fertilizer for use in agriculture, (b) Construction Wetland to absorb plants grown according to special technologies, and (c) solar treatment plant, in which the remaining pollutants are removed and water becomes usable in the agricultural field according to international health standards and conditions.

The President of the Lebanese University, Professor Fouad Ayoub, signed a cooperation agreement with the “International College of Dentists” (ICD) and “Teeth on Wheels” Foundation in Australia, with the aim of involving students of the Faculty of Dental Medicine in volunteer work to restore the teeth of those in need or affected by the Beirut Port blast free of charge in the mobile clinic owned by “Teeth on Wheels” in cooperation with ICD.

The signing, which took place in the central administration building on 30 November 2020, was attended by the owners of “Teeth on Wheels”, Professor Jawad Abou Zeid, Professor Rami Abou Zeid, and Professor Fadi Abou Zeid, President of ICD - Middle East, Dr. Nadim Abou Jaoudeh, President of ICD – Beirut, Dr. Edmond Koyess, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, Prof. Toni Zeinoun and the General Coordinator of the International Relations Office at the Lebanese University, Prof. Zainab Saad.

Professor Ayoub stressed the importance of signing this agreement in terms of realizing one of the aspirations of the Lebanese University, which always seeks community service. He indicated that the students can now provide community service in a place that has great symbolism, especially with the presence of the mobile clinic in Lebanese Hospital Geitawi, and expressed his pride in the pioneering work with ICD, which has chosen to partner with the Lebanese University in this high-end humanitarian community service.

On 28 July 2020, the President of the Lebanese University, Professor Fouad Ayoub, signed a cooperation agreement with Bahman Hospital, in order to adopt it as a university hospital for the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) at the Lebanese University.

The agreement provides for developing medical services in the hospital, providing clinical medical education for students in various specializations, providing continuous rehabilitation for doctors after graduation, keeping up with all new developments in medical sciences and disease prevention, encouraging research in the field of medicine, and granting doctors in the hospital academic and clinical titles after fulfilling all requirements in accordance with the FMS approved standards.

Both parties expressed that this cooperation will benefit both FMS students and the medical body at Bahman Hospital, and stressed the need to put this agreement into effect as soon as possible, namely in light of the COVID-19 outbreak and the relevant urgent logistical and hospitalization needs.

Within the framework of cooperation agreement signed on 11 March 2020 between the Lebanese University and “Digital Transformation Network Lebanon”, the President of the Lebanese University, Professor Fouad Ayoub met at the Central Administration Building with the Network's General Coordinator, Dr. Nadim Mansouri and his delegation consisting of Dr. Rabih Baalbaki and Dr. Dal El-Hitti, in the presence of the General Coordinator of the International Relations Office at the University, Prof. Zeinab Saad, the Director of Legal Informatics Center at the University, Dr. Mustafa Sarji, and the Director of the Center of Language Sciences & Communication at the Faculty of Letters & Human Sciences, Dr. Samar Zeitoun.

The two parties launched the cooperation agreement on 11 June 2020 in the field of informatics, digital governance, organization of workshops in specialized programs, and organization of competitions and exhibitions for job opportunities targeting the Lebanese University students to facilitate their involvement in the local and international labor market.

The attendees praised the importance of this cooperation, given the added value to the concept of digital governance and advanced training programs.

The President of the Lebanese University (LU), Prof. Fouad Ayoub, signed two cooperation agreements on 12 March 2020, with the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Lebanese Industrial Research Achievements Program (LIRA) and Minister of Industry, Dr. Imad Hoballah, and between the Institute of Applied Sciences and Economics (CNAM-ISAE) and LIRA Program.

The agreements were signed in the Central Administration Building, Museum, in the presence of the President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Dr. Fady Gemayel, Director of LIRA Program, Sheikh Saeed Hamadeh, Director of CNAM Institute in Lebanon, Dr. Elias El Hashem, Representative of the Lebanese Association for Scientific, Technical and Economic Education (ALESTE), Dr. Walid Safi, Board Members, Mr. Khaled Bohsali, representing the Lebanese Central Bank (BDL), Dean of the Doctoral School of Science & Technology, Dr. Fawaz El-Omar, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Dr. Bassam Badran, General Coordinator of the International Relations Office at the LU, Prof. Zeinab Saad, Dr. Ziad Salameh and a number of executives in LIRA Program.

The agreements aim to activate cooperation between LIRA and CNAM and renew existing cooperation with the Lebanese University, in addition to establishing 3 clubs for students and graduates of the Faculties of Engineering and Science in cooperation with LIRA.

Prof. Fouad Ayoub stressed the importance of cooperation between the LU and LIRA, which benefited students and professors, namely in the economic, industrial and entrepreneurial fields, and the importance of financial support for graduate projects, higher studies and applied research projects at the PhD level executed in the industrial sector.

Prof. Ayoub pointed out that the second agreement mainly aims to carry out industrial research projects and joint industrial graduation projects capable of field development in the future to become practical industrial projects economically and socially. It also aims to motivate factories to receive CNAM and LU students and provide them with the necessary practical experience and production technology, to acquire a broader practical expertise in the industrial labor market and ensure the success of their future projects by meeting the society needs and adopting internationally known modern technologies.

Prof. Ayoub considered that the industrial development and the related modern techniques and skills requires strengthening the relationship between CNAM and the LU on the one hand and the economic and industrial sector and the National Council for Scientific Research (NCSR) on the other hand, in order to develop and support research projects and provide students with the skills necessary for the local and external labor market.

Prof. Ayoub praised the initiative of Dr. Imad Hoballah with the national university and hoped that the success results will enhance the LU strategy to open up to the different productive sectors and institutions in line with its leadership and the education quality strategy.

The President of the Lebanese University, Prof. Fouad Ayoub, signed a cooperation agreement on 24 February 2020 with the Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of Brazil in Beirut, Mr. Jandyr Ferreira Dos Santos, accompanied by Mr. Tiago Antonio De Mello Oliveira, in the presence of the Dean of the Faculty of Letters & Human Sciences (FLHS), Dr. Ahmed Rabah and Prof. Zeinab Saad, General Coordinator of the International Relations Office at the Lebanese University.

The agreement (with a duration of four years) aims to enhance scientific cooperation between the Lebanese University and Brazilian universities, and improve the mechanism of teaching and developing Portuguese language at the Lebanese University, by assigning a professor specialized in Portuguese to follow up the various programs required in this framework with the FLHS Dean and the Center for Languages & Translation. Under the agreement, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall pay all costs of residency and monthly salary and all program requirements, through the Embassy of Brazil in Beirut.

The two parties also discussed the possibility of enhancing academic and research exchanges in areas of mutual interest, such as developing modern educational techniques adopted in Brazilian universities in the field of medical sciences, and exchanging programs and research in gas and petroleum sciences. The parties also stressed the importance of developing executive programs to facilitate the exchange of students, professors and experts.

Professor Fouad Ayoub, President of the Lebanese University (LU), signed a cooperation agreement with Mr. Paul Feng Nan, CEO of Huawei Technologies (Lebanon), in the presence of Dr. Rafic Younes, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr. Bassam Badran, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Prof. Zeinab Saad, General Coordinator of the International Relations Office at the Lebanese University, and Dr. Mustafa Sarji, IT Executive Coordinator at the Lebanese University, in addition to a delegation from Huawei and the winners in its international competition.

The agreement aims to implement the Huawei Authorized Information and Network Academy program (HAINA) at the Lebanese University, and develop a curriculum by providing LU professors and students with the necessary training and knowledge for this objective, and involving specialists and experts in this field.

In his speech to the audience, Prof. Ayoub pointed out that the Fourth Industrial Revolution changed the concepts of work for a generation facing difficulties in finding jobs, which requires the universities to develop their programs and curricula in line with the requirements of the advanced technology and its objectives, in order to facilitate their integration in the labor market.

Prof. Ayoub added: "The challenge today for universities in Lebanon, namely the Lebanese University, is to develop students' skills and enhance their academic knowledge in line with the global revolution of computing sciences, networks and technology."

Prof. Ayoub affirmed that the Lebanese University seeks, through this agreement, to enhance its capabilities in the field of technology and advanced network, modernize its programs and train its professors and students. He also pointed out that the Lebanese University students and professors participated in a number of competitions and activities organized by Huawei during the past years and that the Lebanese University team, which included Kamar Ghandour and Karim Reda, from the Faculties of Engineering and Sciences, ranked first in the finals of the “Huawei ICT Competition Middle East 2019-2020”, and Dr. Noha Akiki, professor at the Faculty of Engineering received the “Excellent Teacher Award” in the same competition and that this is the second time that the Lebanese University ranks first in these competitions, as students from the LU (Hussein Shito, Osama Kandakji and Ahmed Hijazi), ranked first in the same competition held in 2017.

At the end, Prof. Ayoub hoped that this agreement will be the organizing framework for all joint activities between the University and Huawei Technologies, and will strengthen the Lebanese University strategy to open up to the computer sciences and communications sector as per the leadership and quality of education that the University has demonstrated since its establishment.

Mr. Paul Feng Nan, CEO of Huawei Technologies - Lebanon, expressed his content to sign the agreement with the Lebanese University and the impressive results achieved by this prestigious university in the Huawei ICT Competition Middle East - 2019, confirming his support to the Lebanese University by developing its programs and training the professors and students.