In a three-day workshop, LAU journalism students and participants from outside the university learnt how to identify and combat hate speech against refugees using data driven-stories and multimedia skills.

The event, held at LAU Beirut from February 10–12, was organized by the Multimedia Journalism Program as part of a new course “Data and Society”―developed by Assistant Professor of Digital Journalism and Social Communication Monika Halkort―with the support of the Canadian embassy. It focused on case studies about consent, transparency, reliance on social media, fact-checking, data visualization, and practice of tools and data relevant to concrete situations in Lebanon.

In collaboration with the Canadian NGO Journalists for Human Rights, who have years of experience in journalism training specifically targeting human rights issues, the workshop aimed to provide future Lebanese journalists with the tools that could enable them to influence human rights issues in their country. “You don't realize how powerful you are going to be as journalists,” Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon Michelle Cameron told the participants. “But with that power comes responsibility. You have to learn critical skills and objectivity. This is going to help you to move from emotion-based reporting … to fact-based reporting … Maybe some of you will help change the situation by highlighting human rights issues.”

The workshop exemplified the new direction LAU is taking with journalism education, in completely redesigning the old B.A. in Communication Arts and developing a specialized degree in Multimedia Journalism that equips students with the skills necessary in today’s data-driven media environment. “Data and multimedia journalism is the future of the profession,” said Jad Melki, associate professor and chairperson of the Communication Arts Department. “We want to be a pioneer in this area, and we are the only university in the Arab world that offers multiple courses in data journalism and advanced forms of news.” Defining a journalist’s task, he added: “Being a journalist starts with the role of informing the public and upholding human rights through exposing violations when we see them. It's even more relevant to our society.”

The ability to expose and help to redress human rights abuses by giving civil society a voice is also one of Halkort’s goals. “We try to bring specialists to our students because it's very interesting for them to have access to specific topics, and human rights is a core subject,” she said. “Journalists no longer have the monopoly on public opinion; they have to go along with civil campaigns. That's why we offer some skills in these trainings for dealing with civil society. You have to organize your work around facts, and that is where journalists and activists meet. Even in civil initiatives, building data is very important to compensate for the lack of public infrastructure.”

For the students involved in the workshop, acquiring new techniques was highly stimulating. Zubaida Jamal, a senior in journalism studies, said she learnt a lot, such as cleaning and using data as well as validating images online. “The most important thing for me was to be able to use data for practical reasons,” she said. “We are not giving the public numbers without a context; we have to put stories to them. This is definitely going to be useful later on.”

Ambassador Cameron addresses the students as the workshop starts.

LAU journalism students and people from outside the university, including activists, took part in the workshop.

Tens of engineering students gathered last week as LAU alumnus Hani Harik, CEO of Emirates Computers, announced the launch of the LAU Innovation Challenge.

The objective of the initiative, placed under the School of Engineering, is to have 12 to 15 multidisciplinary teams develop solutions to real–life problems by exploring their ability to prototype designs using a variety of tools, like 3D printing, embedded systems and software development, among others.

“This exercise is designed to take you out of your school into a field trip,” Harik told the students. “This is not a competition―there is no success, no failure―it’s about learning through practice, and creating.”

The former student in Computer Science explained that his goal is to help the students and encourage them to get a much needed experience that would make their CVs more appealing. “Creating, making, practicing, failing is the best teacher. If we do not try, we do not learn,” he declared, stressing the importance of multidisciplinary engagement.

For LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra, such initiatives speak to the university’s mission to serve its students and the society it is part of. “The 21st century belongs to innovators, to those who can bring theory and practice together. And we, at LAU, believe in giving our young people the opportunity to explore the world, to focus on its challenges and find the solutions that affect it.”

More than a student learning experience, Harik wants this project to help forge a different culture student/teacher relationship where professors will be seen as mentors and tutors.

“As a faculty member, I strongly believe that this opportunity will be among the best learning experiences for our students, and a model to foster at LAU,” says Associate Dean and Professor Barbar Akle. Akle, in fact, received a good number of submissions from attending students eager to participate in the initiative. “The quality and the number of submitted proposals proves that it will be tough for the LAU Innovation Challenge oversight committee to select the top 15 projects,” he said a week after the announcement was made.

James Akl, a second year student in mechanical engineering, is definitely taking up the challenge. “I like creating and I like combining art and technology and this project is an opportunity to do just that,” he said after Harik’s presentation. “I am thankful to LAU for giving us this chance.”

Harik presenting the project to the students.

Thirty general security officers, men and women from different professional backgrounds, are taking part in the first Certified Leadership Program organized and implemented by LAU’s Outreach and Civic Engagement.

The program was launched in a ceremony that gathered high-ranking officials at the Outreach and Leadership Academy (OLA) – Solidere, which was inaugurated last November by LAU and the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development (HFSHD).

Referring to it as “a wise partnership”, Director General of the General Security Major-General Abbas Ibrahim declared that the training program is an important milestone in the development and reform process the institution has been undergoing. “The highest investment we can make in building Lebanon … is in its human capital,” he said.

The training, divided in three phases, consists of a series of workshops on emotional intelligence, creative conflict resolution and negotiation skills among others, and will conclude with an individual developmental plan. The program also includes a workshop at the LAU New York Academic Center.

“It is a sophisticated and complex approach,” explained Assistant Vice President for Outreach and Civic Engagement Elie Samia. “We are training the elite, adapting the last part of the program to each individual who will in turn become a trainer; our trainees are ambassadors,” he added.

Using state-of-the-art technologies and programs, coupled with continuing education and capacity building, is fundamental to the progress and development of modern state institutions, said M.P. Bahia Hariri, who is also the head of the Hariri Foundation. “We are here to assert the importance of the collaboration between academic institutions and public administrations … with the ultimate goal to strengthen the trust between public service and the people,” she added.

For LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra, this program is at the heart of LAU’s mission to serve society. “It all falls under the motto of educating and empowering society as well as engaging society,” he affirmed. “We need to engage each other in our commitment to Lebanon. No one should stay outside that engagement. We must come together to make sure that this country will never again be at risk,” he said, addressing the audience.

Jabbra’s words resonated well with trainee First Lieutenant Yara Abou Jaoude, head of the pharmacies department at General Security. “I really see great value in this training. Part of one’s leadership skills is innate, the other is acquired and there is no better way to acquire those skills than the one offered here, especially since it [the program] is tailor-made.”

In fact, Abou Jaoude is no stranger to OCE’s approach and methodology. An LAU alumna―having graduated in 2010 with a B.S. in Pharmacy―she had the opportunity to attend one of Samia’s workshops during her years at her alma mater. “I am very excited about what comes next. I know for a fact that I will learn a lot.”

Elie Samia conducts the first in a series of workshops.

The launching ceremony took place at OLA-Solidere.

More than 1,400 people came to LAU Beirut to attend Sanaghrisouha, the fruit of this year’s collaboration between the NGO Shifaa, the LAU Alumni-Beirut Chapter, and theater director Associate Professor Lina Abiad.

This is the fourth annual project carried out jointly by the NGO and the alumni group. As in previous years, the proceeds will go to cover scholarships at LAU as well as blood donations and pediatric surgeries for needy families. “So far, we have raised $45,697 and covered numerous blood donations and surgeries,” enthused Dona Hamoui, president of the Shifaa junior group, thanking LAU’s Alumni Relations Office for the great help they provided again this year.  

For Bashir Sakka, president of the LAU Alumni Beirut Chapter, the cooperation with Shifaa is “an indication of trust and a confirmation of the important role that associations play in our society.” He added that the annual work distinguishes itself by its religious content and its noble target to reflect the real and civilized image of Islam while helping the needy through its proceeds.

Sanaghrisouha’s goal is to encourage every individual, regardless of their age and background, to lend a helping hand to make the world a better place through the simplest actions. With Lebanon’s trash crisis as a background — a theme chosen by the participating children — the play denounces individualism and selfishness while promoting the values of respect toward nature, toward the other, peace building, community support and collective interest.

A choir of 35 youngsters directed by Yasmina Sabbah chanted religious songs (anasheed) relating to the theme, intersecting with different scenes in which five actors — including three children — fight to protect a symbolic tree, inspired by the teachings of Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

“The point of this performance is to say that praying and fasting are not enough if not coupled with positive action,” explains Abiad. A non-religious person, Abiad was inspired by the Shifaa members with whom she has written the script. “I was very touched by these women. By their generosity and spirit of giving, of volunteering. They practice what they preach by giving their time through Shifaa and its on-going activities and by teaching children, including their children, how to give back too.”

Eight-year-old Malek Hamoui enjoyed singing in the choir accompanying the production. “We really want people to stop throwing garbage. If they stopped, Lebanon wouldn’t be so messy,” he says, adding how proud he was to take part in the performance.

To Abiad, this sense of pride and commitment was also another source of encouragement. “The children were so hard-working and dedicated, it was a pleasure working with them. They were our source of inspiration and motivation throughout.”

Dona Hamoui agrees: “There were times where we felt we wanted to give up — it was a long process and we are all volunteers at the end of the day — but the children never gave up and pushed us from beginning to end.”

And “Sanaghrisouha” succeeded in bringing seeds of hope to the wider community that came to see it in action. “This whole work is what Islam is really about,” said a woman to her child as the curtain came down.

Sponsors of the event included: Makhzoumi Foundation (Platinum Sponsor), Spartan (Gold Sponsor), Socrate (Silver sponsor), Amore cafe (Silver sponsor), Lumident  (Silver sponsor), Salah Madhoun Foundation (Silver sponsor), Qabas (Silver sponsor), Bano Trading (Silver sponsor), Agrinet (Silver sponsor)

At the end of the performance, plants were distributed to the crowd.

The audience cheers, while many wish the play would continue touring in Lebanon and outside the country.

The children, aged between 8 and 11, study at various schools like College Protestant Francais and International College, among others.

Over 400 children from orphanages across Lebanon attended the last presentation that was dedicated to them.

More than one hundred students, faculty and staff gathered in the Sheikh Zayed Exhibition Hall last week to celebrate the opening of the annual Graphic Design Student Exhibition. Under the title Stir, it featured 21 capstone projects created by seniors in the graphic design program, work that represents a culmination of their educational journey at LAU.

Farid Chehab, honorary chairman and adviser at Leo Burnett S.A.’s operations in Beirut, presented Certificate of Excellence Awards to five graduating design students who demonstrated particularly outstanding work throughout their studies. The students included Shadah Fadlallah, Rami Rikka, Mario Abou Sleiman, India Arida, and Cherine Karout. Of the five, Arida and Karout — along with fellow student Nadia Khabbaz — had developed their final projects within the framework of “Adopt a Creative,” a joint endeavor between the Department of Art and Design and Leo Burnett, wherein the advertising agency’s creative directors supervised the participating students’ capstone work.

Drawing on his many years of experience in the industry, Chehab urged the graduating students to keep learning throughout their entire careers, as new technologies are transforming the world of design: “The world is in reinvention,” he declared. “Even now, for example, new technologies are permitting us to create paintings that are themselves sensors…very soon, even the ink itself that you are using in design will become a tool to connect with your mobile phone.”

According to Yasmine Taan, associate professor and chair of the Department of Art and Design in Beirut, the projects included for display in the exhibition were selected based on faculty assessments of quality combined with “recommendations of an external jury that included designers and people related to the creative industries, including representatives of Leo Burnett.”  The stringent selection process reflects the department’s desire to raise the bar: “We want to have students graduating who can compete with international industries,” she added.

“This event is a celebration of our graduating class, where the students have the opportunity to showcase their accomplishments, their capstone projects and receive recognition for all their hard work,” said Melissa Plourde Khoury, associate chair of the Department of Art and Design, Byblos.

Greeting the audience on behalf of LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra, the dean of the School of Architecture and Design Elie Haddad warmly acknowledged the commitment of the department’s faculty and staff, thanking them for “creating a distinct kind of culture” that attracts young artists to choose it over similar programs in Lebanon.  

Following the awards ceremony, the exhibition hall was opened to the attendees, who were able to enjoy works that mingled traditional ink and paper creations together with digital animations using the latest technologies. 

Farid Chehab distributing the awards.

The students’ works mingled traditional ink and paper creations together with digital animations.

Dr. Michel Mawad was officially named as the new dean of LAU’s Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine. 

“We are fortunate to have Dr. Mawad join us… His education, skills, and experience are impressive,” said LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra in announcing the appointment.

For his part the new dean looks forward to building on what he calls a fantastic school, with a unique curriculum, superb faculty, a top notch campus — “one of the best I’ve seen” — extremely good facilities, and a very competitive student body.

The deanship is an ideal role for a man who is equally experienced in and motivated by clinical, academic and administrative duties. “At different stages of my life I pursued different legs of the stool,” Mawad says. “At times I was either doing a lot of research — clinical and preclinical studies and human protocols — or mostly teaching and giving loads of lectures and seminars or being very busy clinically,” he adds.

Mawad trained in interventional neurosurgical procedures at the Neurological Institute and Columbia University Hospitals in New York. He spent 32 years at Baylor College of Medicine (Texas), where he worked in the field of cerebrovascular disease, pioneering a number of minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of cerebrovascular disorders such as aneurysms, AVMs, and stroke. He currently holds several patents, among them one on a retrievable shielded radiotherapy implant (1996) and another on an apparatus for performing balloon angioplasty and stent deployment (2000).

His various roles at Baylor included the chairmanship of the department of radiology and holding tenured professorships at the departments of radiology, neurology, neurosurgery, and ophthalmology. “I had gotten used to accomplishing things on the administrative side — hiring people, building sections and departments — and I like that,” he shares.

American Board-certified, Mawad is a member of eight medical organizations, topped by the World Federation of Therapeutic & Interventional Neuroradiology (WFITN) which he helped establish, ultimately becoming its president. He sits on the editorial board of several prominent journals, including Interventional Neuroradiology (the official journal of the World Federation of Interventional & Therapeutic Neuroradiology), the American Journal of Neuroradiology and the Journal of Neurovascular Disease. He boasts a list of over 300 scientific publications and has received numerous research and educational grants totaling $4,255,000 in addition to being bestowed with various honors and awards along the way.

As the new dean of the School of Medicine, Mawad intends to expend most of his energies developing the clinical practice at the LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital, which he refers to as the school’s clinical campus in Beirut. “It is a huge responsibility to teach a third or fourth-year medical student or a resident how to take care of patients. Teaching new physicians holds a higher level of responsibility than any other in my opinion, and it is trickier to accomplish.”

Prior to his appointment at LAU, Mawad had spent two years working in the field of stroke service in Abu Dhabi, building a stroke center for the renowned Cleveland Clinic’s extension in the emirate. “It was a good interim phase between what I had been doing in the States, and something in and for the region,” he says. But joining LAU at this time holds special meaning for the new dean.

“I left in 1976 planning to spend four years abroad to complete my training before returning to Lebanon to give back to my community,” recalls Mawad. Forty years later, he returns to his home country, ready to devote his energies to the LAU’s goal of providing a medical education second to none.

Dr. Michel Mawad

A student-centered youth-led event hosted yesterday by the Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World to mark International Women’s Day brought together more than 100 people in an informal and cozy setting in the Safadi fine arts building at LAU Beirut.

“This is one of the best Women’s Day events I have ever attended,” said Hind, a graduate of LAU in the days it was known as the Beirut College for Women. “Unless we talk, things will not change, and you will make that change within your own families, those you are part of now and those you will raise,” she added, directing her comments at the three LAU students who led the discussion on gender and language as part of the event.

Theresa Sahyoun, Fatima Al-Ahmad, and Natasha Ghawi spoke about sexism within activist organizations, women in film, and sexual harassment and community conformity respectively. Assistant Professor Dima Dabbous summarized the key points discussed and moderator Nay El Rahi, moved by the students’ statements and praising them for their courage, led a conversation that engaged the audience collectively. This was followed by a living library session during which groups clustered around experts and students to discuss different topics related to gender and language in more detail.

“It’s a student-centered event and they have a lot of experience worth sharing and discussing. That’s why we wanted them as part of the living library, where people reference people for answers, like they would a book,” explained Tala Harb, assistant project director at the Institute who headed the organization of the event.

Among the living library speakers was LAU student and Model United Nations trainer Paula Nawfal who spoke about her activism on social media and gave examples of the derogatory and aggressive comments she often receives. Student and member of the LAU citizenship club Ghawi―who, as part of the living library, focused on the word feminist and its meaning―had earlier read out a post she had prepared for social media but not published because her parents disapproved. “I realize that I was yielding to the same kind of community pressure I fight against as an activist,” she said.

Sahyoun, a member of the AUB Feminist Forum, had also spoken eloquently about her personal experience with sexism as a student activist and was invited by one of the many AUB students taking part in the event to join forces with them in addressing the issue.

“Young people are already activists and budding academics. They are making their voices heard on the streets and in the classrooms,” noted the director of the Institute Lina Abirafeh. “We owe them our full support. This region in particular has a very young population and the largest gender gap of all regions globally.” Abirafeh summarizes gender inequality in the Arab world in an article published today in the conversation.

Further engaging and celebrating the activism of youth is the academic peer-reviewed journal al Raida, published by the Institute. The winner of a competition for graphics launched by the institute last month was announced at yesterday’s event as Noor Hotait, an LAU student in fashion design. “I am extremely honored and delighted that my drawing will be on the cover of the journal,” she said. “I am a young activist and learned so much today, and loved being surrounded by so many confident women,” she enthused. “It was a beautiful event.”

This event was organized in collaboration with LAU’s citizenship and intersectional feminist clubs, the AUB Feminist Forum, HarassTracker , USJ Women's Right Club, and the Feminist Network.

Nour Hotait’s winning drawing.

Students, activists, academics and experts in the field gathered at LAU Beirut to attend the event.

Assistant Professor of Chemistry Robin Taleb put on his best dancing shoes to wow the panel of judges and the audience at Dancing with the Profs at LAU Byblos.

Last Wednesday, Taleb and his dance partner Yara Nasrany scored highest out of the seven dancing couples both with the judges and through the online Facebook voting poll before being announced the winners of the second annual competition.

Organized by the Department of Communication Arts, this campus version of the famous show brings together LAU students with dancing experience and faculty members with the energy and drive to train and compete.

After losing out to nutrition instructor Betty Dedeian last year, Taleb this time “mastered the dance,” according to judge Rabih Nahas, former dancing champion best known as a judge on Lebanon’s version of the prime time TV show Dancing with the Stars. Also on the judging panel were fitness expert Georges Assaf, Assistant Professor of music Amr Selim and Associate Chair of the departments of Humanities and Communication Arts Nadra Assaf.

“The job of performing arts is to take the audience to another place and you certainly did that,” said Selim of the winning dance routine. The purpose of the event, says its initiator Nadra Assaf, is to “help break down the barriers between teachers and students in a fun and jovial way.” Engineering student Patric Issa believes that aim was certainly achieved. “It definitely made me see instructors in a different light,” he said, referring to the light-hearted interaction between the students and faculty members throughout the competition.

Also dancing for the trophy were Amy Youssef, instructor at the Department of English, with student Antoine Awad; Hussein Hassan, assistant professor of food science and technology, with Angela el Zoghbi; Rony Khnayzer, assistant professor of chemistry, with Josiane Matar; Claudia Kozman, visiting assistant professor in multimedia journalism, with Romario Akiki; and Pierre Sarkis, instructor of history and cultural studies, with Ghinwa Ghorayeb.

Sarkis gave Taleb a run for his money, showing off his disco dancing skills in a humorous choreography. “It felt like I was watching Travolta,” said Georges Assaf of the routine.

Sarkis, always with a smile, was less than pleased that he had to perform the energetic dance routine twice, having been among the four couples to make it to the second round. “You give the 63-year-old teacher a disco routine while the others get to tiptoe around the stage,” joked the sexagenarian.

Other performances included a rumba, salsa, tango and the cha-cha. “It was out of this world,” said Georges Assaf of the cha-cha routine danced by Khnayzer and Matar. “You’re a chemistry professor and you had a lot of chemistry.” Equally explosive was the energy between Youssef and Awad. Of the tango routine performed by Kozman and Akiki, Nadra Assaf said: “I know you both well, but I saw past the people to the dance and the drama.”

The dancers and all the drama they went through to get to the final stage were in fact screened throughout the evening in short video skits shot during rehearsals, which highlighted the camaraderie between the students and the teachers they were instructing, and the painful journey to improvement.

Voted most improved since he participated in last year’s competition was Hassan. “You need more fire, but believe it or not, you can dance,” said Nahas following the salsa routine. However, the former dance champion’s favorite performance was the one by Taleb, to whom he offered a free dance lesson. 

The Department of Communication Arts is hosting the annual International Dance Day Festival in Lebanon at LAU Byblos from March 31 to April 8. More information will be available soon.

Yara Nasrany and Robin Taleb during their performance.

Associate Professor of Political Science Imad Salamey will hold a book signing this Wednesday for his latest publication The Decline of Nation States after the Arab Spring: the Rise of Communitocracy.

The book, says Research Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of California Arend Lijphart, provides an outstanding analysis of the decline of state power in the Middle East and North Africa, and the emergence of religious and linguistic communities as the dominant players in the region.

We caught up with Salamey ahead of the book signing, which will be complemented by a discussion with the Director of Women’s Rights in the Middle East at Rice University Marwa Shalaby.

You coined the word “communitocracy” in your new book to refer to the current power structures dominant in the region. How is it defined?

Just as democracy is the rule of the people, “communitocracy” is the rule of communities, and this is the emerging political system that we are beginning to witness in the region.

The decline of the state and national power has played in favor of local and transnational communitarian groups. Such groups can be confessional, ethnic, and tribal. There are now very few political groups that are ideologically, economically or politically driven. At present, all dominant political parties―whether recognized or not―are formed along community lines and identity.

Which countries adopt “communitocractic” systems?

“Communitocratic” systems come in two forms―exclusive and multi-communitarian. Exclusive systems usually have extreme implications related to communitarian identity politics and the exclusion of others, voluntarily or by force. This is very dangerous and can lead to population cleansing, Naziism and the like. Today, examples of an exclusive “communitocratic” system can be seen in Iran, a Shiite theocracy, and in Saudi Arabia, where a Sunni Wahabi monarchy rules. ISIS is also trying to spread a community system, based on Salafism.

Multi-communitarian regimes, by comparison, are more inclusive. Federal states are typical examples of this system. Iraq is a multi-communitarian “communitocracy” based along ethnic lines. Lebanon is “consociational”, whereby the division of power is political and not geographic. It is a model of this system and a true example par excellence.

What was the impetus behind the new book?

I wanted to understand the causes of the Arab Spring and how it came about. Many argued that poverty and corruption were mitigating factors, but they always existed, so I examined the change.

Globalization has spread at various levels―including economic, cultural and security―and I see a direct correlation between this phenomenon and the erosion of the nation state, as its power to rule is undermined. Nationalists are no longer in command of their own geo-political entities and this dysfunctionality of the Arab states is, what I believe, led to the revolts.

Information flows via the internet, and no longer via the state. Culture is also more global, and people are no longer confined to the cultural values and practices they grew up with. This is particularly true of confessional groups that can associate with religious groups across the globe and not only those in their own country. This is what I think Arab states were suddenly confronting and unable to accommodate.

How did you go about building your theories?

I examined various Arab countries, particularly those that have collapsed partially or totally, including Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, Syria and Libya, and examined how globalization has been a driving variable in the decline of their power.

In terms of the economy, the ability of these states to export their own national products was undermined and led to negative trade balances.

In terms of culture, we can see how communication technologies have been an instrumental method for spreading protest messages and undermining the ability of the state to control the information system.

I also examined the spread of non-armed transnational military actors and the states’ inability to control the flow of arms and secure their countries on a national level. They needed to rely on more regional, perhaps even global, means but were not able to do so.

Does “communitocracy” bring stability?

It is the emerging trend across the region following the Arab Spring. Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt … each of these states is suffering from instability and exploring new ways of power-sharing along community lines. While in those countries there were groups that were oppressed and unheard, in Lebanon the system accommodates all groups and offers a space through which grievances can be channeled. The multi-communitarian “communitocracy”, in addition to probably being more compatible with globalization, may therefore explain why Lebanon has not drifted into civil war this decade as happened in other Arab countries.

The book discussion and signing is taking place on Wednesday 15 March at 5 p.m. at the Riyad Nassar Library, Beirut campus.

Students and faculty from the Department of Communication Arts came out in full force on the Selina Korban stage in Byblos last night with a multi-disciplinary performance entitled “Momentum.”

“Momentum refers to the force of movement,” says LAU music instructor Seba Ali. “In this concert, music is the stimulus for movement and acting; it gives momentum toward a collaborative and deepened interpretation that we believe makes more impact,” explains the pianist who selected and played four hand pieces with guest artist Jacqueline Leung throughout the one-hour show.

The production seamlessly blends music, dance and silent acting to present a series of sketches, each of which is  rooted in a popular children’s game but interpreted and contextualized in societies today.

“We had decided we wanted something theatrical before realizing it would be blended with theatre,” says Leung of the music selected, which included the works of five European composers, among them Mozart and Khachaturian.

Leung, a concert pianist and university educator from Canada, was invited to host workshops on interdisciplinary improvisation at LAU in the week prior to the performance.

“This concert marks a powerful ending to our guest artist concert and workshop series this year,” enthused Ali, the show’s creator and artistic director.

Ali partnered with a number of faculty members to bring the performance to life. Students from Brummana High school and Al Sarab Alternative Dance School also shared the stage with LAU students for “An introduction to Acting,” taught by instructor Sany Abdul Baki.

“As most of the students are from other majors, they were unaware of how much time and effort is needed,” said Abdul Baki of the dedication shown by his students in the run-up to the performance.

Among them was economics major George Saba. “I love movies, so I decided to try acting. The experience was exhilarating and it’s definitely been my favorite experience at LAU so far. I’ll be taking more courses in this field,” said the first year student.

LAU instructor Omar Moujaes, who teaches drama to high-school students at Brummana High School was also visibly pleased with his own students’ achievements and the results of the multi-disciplinary collaboration. “It was great to see non-actors coming to LAU to partake in this type of collaboration, under the umbrella of professors with experience of the stage.”

Sitting among the audience, Caroline Mansour, whose daughter attends Al Sarab dance school, was thrilled by the show. “It’s easy to understand despite there being no dialogue. It was very realistic and familiar,” she said.

“Such performances provide great opportunities for outreach to the community outside of LAU,” says director of the dance school and Assistant Professor of Dance and English at LAU Nadra Assaf. “By doing this we reach more people and we allow them to gain a greater understanding of and respect for LAU.”

Guest artists not only enjoyed the experience but were equally impressed by the students’ talent. “One thing in common that all of our 2016-2017 guest artists have said was that our students show a strong passion for the performing arts and are extremely motivated in exploring out-of-the-box avenues of artistic collaboration.”

The show will also be staged at the Gulbenkian Theatre in Beirut on Wednesday March 15 at 7 p.m.

Six actors took to the stage at the Irwin Hall on the Beirut campus last night to delight and amuse a full house with a rendition of Italian playwright and Nobel laureate Dario Fo’s seminal work Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!

The production, translated into Arabic and directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Lina Abyad, featured two LAU graduates in the cast and dozens of LAU students and faculty in the production crew. “My students enjoyed the process of observing and engaging so much that they forgot they were working to earn a grade,” said Abyad, whose students of the course “Theatre in Performance” worked with dedication backstage on all aspects of the production, from props – of which there were many – to lighting, which was designed by instructor Omar Moujaes.

Alumni Hiba Sleiman and Sany Abdul Baki, who teaches theatre at the Department of Communication Arts, were among the actors who dedicated six hours a day every day for a month to rehearsing the wordy farce, which relies heavily on movement and precise timing.

“I changed very little in the script,” said Abyad of the process of translation and adaptation for an audience far removed from Italy in 1972. “This is what is great in the text, it’s so relatable to every time and place, unfortunately.” The text tells the stories of two couples who struggle to make ends meet, can’t buy decent food and are facing eviction. The struggle between their needs and their ethics takes a dramatic turn when the spirit of revolution takes over in a supermarket and women start stealing much needed food.

“It’s a very feminist play, discussing the abuse women go through – housewives in particular,” Abyad explained. Ten years ago, she staged another of Fo’s works, A Woman Alone, a play about harassment against women that he wrote with his wife Franca Rame. “He is one of my favorite writers and a fantastic person for the theatre,” added Abyad of the Italian actor, comedian, singer, playwright and all-round creative who died last year. “So when the Italian Cultural Institute approached us to collaborate, I naturally thought of him.”

The Institute has sponsored performances of the production in Nabatiyeh and Tripoli, which will be staged after the six-day run at LAU is over this Sunday (March 19).

A renowned theater director, Abyad is constantly busy both in and outside the university. Next week she will be travelling to Washington D.C. for the first U.S. staging of How Can I Find Someone Like You Ali, which she directed, and among her upcoming productions is one written by LAU graduate Abeer Hamze about women surviving cancer, to be staged in July.

“Theatre is my life,” she says.

The performance will be replayed in April at AZM Theater in Tripoli and al-Hamra Theater in Nabatiyeh.

The play will be staged at LAU Beirut until March 19.

Public figures, experts, and academics in areas of relevance to Lebanon’s emerging oil and gas sector gathered at LAU Beirut last Thursday to speak to a full house about the importance of civil society’s active participation in the development and oversight of the sector.

President Joseph G. Jabbra kicked off the event by reminding the audience of LAU’s full commitment to serving society. Welcoming partner and long-time friend of the university Fouad Makhzoumi, he invited him to open the 90-minute conference held as part of the Forum for National Dialogue run by the Makhzoumi Foundation.

“There is no transparency without a partnership between civil society and the private sector,” stressed Makhzoumi in his plea to the audience. “With political sectarian divisions, technocrats are not the right people to monitor and oversee the sector. Can civil society take on this role?” he asked.

Wissam Zahabi, head of the Lebanese Petroleum Administration, replied by saying that they could, and should. “Civil society organizations have the right to demand copies of all non-confidential documents from government entities,” he affirmed. “We want them to do so and be a strong part of the tendering process… and ensuring the development of legislation that guarantees transparency and allocation of oil and gas revenues for the good of the people.”

Lebanon’s battle ahead is against its neighboring countries in securing its access to and rights over the oil and gas that have been discovered offshore. The fact that production has not yet begun, however, is no reason not to be actively engaged in the pre-production process, explained LAU graduate and expert on oil and gas governance Laury Haytayan. “We need to make sure the companies applying are well vetted and all contracts are published in the public domain. Civil society organizations are not only monitors, but also decision makers,” she argued.

Urging the youthful audience to read up on laws and news that directly impact their future and prosperity was Regional Coordinator for the organization ‘Publish What You Pay’ Diana Kaissy. “We failed as civil society organizations to unite during the garbage crisis, but the oil and gas sector is a one-time opportunity,” she said, highlighting the significance and impact of working together for the common good.

General Coordinator of the Lebanese Corruption Observatory Charles Saba agreed, bringing up Norway and Iraq as different examples of Lebanon’s future as an oil and gas producing country. “The government is not ready for the responsibility of potential oil wealth … we must ensure political accountability and transparency,” he stressed.

In conclusion, LAU Assistant Professor of Political Science Makram Ouaiss reiterated the importance of civil society’s active participation in the oil and gas sector and invited its members to work on developing shared goals, networks and collaborative skills instead of competitive attitudes. “We thank the international organizations actively trying to ensure transparency and cooperation, but such initiatives should come from within the country,” said Ouaiss.

The panel discussion was greatly appreciated by the many LAU students in attendance, particularly those interested in petroleum engineering who took the opportunity to learn more about their career prospects in Lebanon.

Student Omran Nofal enquired about internships in the sector and received feedback from LPA chief Wissam Zahabi whose administration has a tradition of welcoming interns. For her part, student Zeinab Chaghoury was interested in knowing the experts’ opinion on whether oil revenues should be used to pay off the national debt. To which Makhzoumi argued that revenues should be invested in the economy, which would then enable the state to repay the mounting debt.

More questions and answers were exchanged between students, faculty and guests at the reception that followed the discussion. “This was a great opportunity for us to learn more about our prospects and the influence of politics,” said LAU engineering student Zahra Ghamoush, “I gained real insight today.”

The event gave way to a lively and enriching discussion with the audience.

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra and MC professor Olfat el-Sabeh with the panelists.

LAU students had the opportunity to interact and network with the panelists.

More than 140  teachers of English from schools and universities across Lebanon attended the Fourth Annual Symposium on the Teaching of Writing, organized by LAU Beirut on March 18 in collaboration with the American University of Beirut (AUB).

The event, which included teachers from public schools for the first time this year, aims to improve the skills of teachers of English and to create partnerships between teachers and universities in order to promote research collaborations on the theme of teaching writing.

Associate Professor of English at LAU Nuwar Diab was co-chair of the organizing committee and a trainer at the event. “I was thrilled to be able to interact with professionals from so many institutions, especially with teachers from public schools who don’t necessarily have the chance to take part in such workshops,” she said. “This symposium is the English Department’s contribution to civic engagement, which is at the heart of LAU’s mission.”

For co-chair and trainer Malaki Khoury, instructor at the Department of English at AUB, the idea behind the symposium is to “advance the conversation between teachers and institutions in the field in order to draw lines and research ideas together to improve the level of teaching in Lebanon.”

To that end, the whole day was organized around workshops which Khoury specified were conducted “in a collegial way, to foster more collaboration among all.”

Upon the request of participants in last year’s symposium, the 2017 focus was on writing assessment, a key issue for teachers, especially in public schools, according to Leila Koujam, teacher at Gibran Andraous Tueni public school. “We tend to be more generous in our evaluation than private school teachers, and we need to overcome this difference in order to better prepare all the students in the long run,” she explained.

University professor Marian Omari found the workshops most rewarding. “We were able to share our experience, receive and give each other ideas. And the techniques discussed today were all very creative,” she enthused.

As the event came to its conclusion, reports from the different sessions revealed the need for teachers to be better trained in common techniques and the importance of giving positive feedback to students. Of the many issues raised, standardized tests were deemed unfair to local students who come from multiple cultural backgrounds as they specifically target English speakers and a cultural identity not necessarily shared by all Lebanese students.

Concerning the next symposium, teachers expressed their wish to work on the use of technology in class, as well as creative and collaborative writing. The benefits they drew from the event had most participants already save the date for next year.

The annual symposium on the teaching of writing was initiated by the American University of Beirut in 2014 and has been  organized with a different university ever since.

Participants enjoyed the collegial learning atmosphere of the event.

LAU Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Nashat Mansour kicked off the event.

The Department of Dermatology at the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine hosted the Lebanese Dermatological Society-sponsored Dermatology Clinicopathologic Correlation Conference last Saturday.

Taking place at LAU Medical Center – Rizk Hospital, the event brought together dermatology residents and practitioners to reflect on challenging cases, including live patient viewing, discuss latest treatments and scientific developments in the field, and promote inter-center learning.

“Skin is the mirror of different internal diseases,” said LAU Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Dermatology Zeina Tannous, who acted as the program chair and moderator. “The goal of this multidisciplinary meeting is to look at dermatology from a different perspective, through different pathologies, including oncology, to benefit all disciplines.”

The day kicked off with the participants touring the hospital’s dermatology clinics giving them the opportunity to interact directly with four patients presenting problematic cases.

Taking part in the event was of utmost importance to William, 14, who has been suffering from a rare form of skin disease for the past four years, as he was able to discuss his condition with several doctors at once. So did Youssef, 68, and Celine, 23 ― two patients struggling with their diseases ― who welcomed the opportunity to discuss different treatments.

“This conference presented a unique opportunity to learn about rare and challenging cases that are difficult to diagnose and therefore to treat,” said AUB dermatologist Mona Matta. “It gave patients access to more than one medical opinion in a single setting,” she added.

Back in the conference room, residents from five medical schools in Lebanon presented 20 cases of diverse conditions chosen from dermatology departments at LAU and across the region. From rashes and pruritus to hard skin and melanoma, a wide variety of uncommon pathologies affecting patients from two months to 71 years old were presented.

“It is important that we, as medical professionals, collaborate and learn from each other,” said Dr. Dany Touma, head of the Lebanese Dermatological Society. “We have heard today about cases which many doctors may not see throughout their entire career,” he added.

LAU resident Farah el Chaer was on the panel presenting the case of a 71-year-old post mastectomy patient with a month-old history of right-arm erythema. The study showed the histopathological correlations between the two conditions, urging physicians to evaluate postmastectomy patients regularly and be prompt to biopsy any suspicious lesion. “I wanted to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis in some dermatological diseases which is key to improve survival rates,” el Chaer said.

On hand to give el Chaer and the other residents feedback was Paris-based dermatologist Dr. Selim Aractingi, professor at the Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes and adjunct to the Department of Dermatology in Cochin Hospital, who is leading a research team on stem cells in skin biology at Pierre et Marie Curie Faculty of Medicine.

As co-moderator and guest speaker at the event, Aractingi talked about the relevance of and advances in personalized medicine. “I don’t recall hearing much about melanoma in Lebanon while growing up, but now we hear of many cases,” said the professor, whose research includes dermato-oncology and skin manifestations of hematological malignancies. Explaining the benefits of molecular analysis to classify, sub-classify and determine treatment efficacy, Aractingi suggested that a genetic comparison of melanomas from different countries may yield interesting results.

Throughout the day, the various presentations allowed the residents, and practitioners accompanying them, to engage in animated discussions about new research, recent practices and recommendations in the field. “It was most useful and insightful,” said Lebanese University resident Zeinab Youness, who presented studies about patients with pruritus and crusted lips.

As the event ended, the organizers reminded all that patient centeredness stands at the core of LAU health schools’ curriculum and approach. “This meeting would not have been possible without the contribution of our patients,” said Tannous. “We are indebted to them, and hopefully we did our best to make a positive change in their lives.”

Participants engaged in animated discussions about new research, recent practices and recommendations in the field.

Business student Wissam Sinno transformed the knowledge gained in class into a deal with a technology company giving him the rights to represent one of their products in Lebanon.

“A few weeks ago this student comes into my class with a little product, and says, ‘this is a gift for you,’ because he had just signed with this company,” says instructor Kim Issa who taught “How to Build a Business Plan,” a short, one-credit course offered as an elective by LAU’s Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB).

For Sinno, a senior majoring in international business, the course was an opportunity to realize a dream that he had had since childhood, that of starting his own successful business. “I used to sell stuff even when I was a kid,” he says.

The course, organized around group work, taught students the steps to building a business plan for a product and writing a proposal. “The whole semester was about learning the process of starting a business,” recalls Sinno. 

“Wissam was the driving force in his group and, every week, he would share with me an idea for a product he wanted to import,” says Issa. The combination of the course contents and the student’s entrepreneurial spirit was soon to pay off. Even though the proposal the group wrote turned out not to be viable, Sinno used the skills he learned to land a client after the semester ended.

“Two months ago,” Sinno says, “I lost my keys, and thought, there must be a way to find them.” He found a U.S.-based tech company that sold small devices linking keys to cell phones, and emailed them with a proposal to import the gadget to Lebanon. Initially, they rejected the idea, citing his lack of experience.

“Then I told them that while I don’t have an agency, I did have a business plan, and sent them one based on another we had developed in class,” Sinno says. The rest was history: “I just told them how many units I wanted, and they shipped them to me,” he adds, proudly.

“How to Build a Business Plan” is just one of a series of short, one-credit courses offered by the school’s undergraduate program on an elective basis. Other courses include topics such as “How to Build a CV,” “Communication Skills,” and “Personality and Career Development,” among others. “Not many schools do this,” says Issa, but at AKSOB “students are learning practical, soft skills that they will use in real life.”

For the role of education, says Amal Rouhana, professor at the Department of Management Studies, goes beyond offering standardized courses and degrees. “By delivering these soft skills on top of their academic studies, we will be able to prepare our graduates for market demands.”

Instructor Kim Issa with Wissam Sinno (center) and fellow students during “How to Build a Business Plan” class.

Dozens of students and professionals in nutrition gathered at LAU Beirut on March 22 to debate the challenges faced by the field from an interprofessional perspective.

“Nutrition problems cannot be solved without the input of other disciplines like pharmacy, medicine, nursing and food science,” said Hussein Hassan, assistant professor of Food Science and Technology at the Department of Natural Sciences and organizer of the event.

A strong advocate of interprofessional education, LAU is the only university in Lebanon to have developed an effective interprofessional approach involving its three health schools―medicine, nursing and pharmacy―along with its nutrition and social work programs.

Invited to speak at the event beside two other professionals with different profiles, Dean of LAU’s School of Pharmacy Imad Btaiche shared the lessons learnt from 18 years spent working with an interprofessional team in the U.S.  

Before joining the university in 2011, Btaiche was clinical associate professor at the College of Pharmacy as well as clinical pharmacist and program director of the Critical Care Specialty Residency at the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers. There, he also acted as the Nutrition Support team leader and was a clinician team member of the Children’s Intestinal Rehabilitation Program at the Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery.

From a professional point of view, “Working as a team leads to better results, it’s proven,” he declared. “You have one goal, several objectives and different means, which allows you to have an effective impact not only on your patients’ health but also on policy making,” he added. The experience is equally enriching from a personal perspective, the pharmacist explained: “It is a way to work on yourself and learn from people different than you.”

Global Food Safety Lead at Mars Chocolate Zeina Kassaify agreed, considering herself “the result of uncommon collaborations.”

With an academic background in nutrition and food science, Kassaify was chairperson and professor of food microbiology at the American University of Beirut for several years before joining the private sector in 2014. 

Focusing on food safety challenges, she said: “It is not enough to make regulations. You have to work with the companies themselves in order for everyone to benefit from healthier food through a sustainable process... Food safety affects us all, so it is important to have everyone on board.”

Collaboration was also the keyword in the presentation of Roula Barake, director of the Nutrition Department at the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Kuwait. With the aim of raising awareness against the chronic disease, she has worked with different institutions, from ministries to schools, in order to reach out to people and gain their trust. Sharing the successful results of her team’s work, she told the audience: “This experience shows how effective you can be when you put your hands together in order to overcome problems.”

For Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Nutrition Program at LAU Nadine Zeeni there are more chronic and complex diseases than before. “We don’t have a good history of working together. The lack of coordination and communication are main issues in the field of health! An interprofessional approach can give students new skills and better prepare them for their future professional responsibilities,” she said, adding that “patients and clients deserve better.”

The ideas and recommendations of the experts resonated with the attending students, such as Alexandra Daccache, a senior in nutrition at LAU: “I think that nutrition has always been underestimated by other disciplines, so it is interesting to consider patient care as a whole and integrate nutrition better,” she enthused. “Now, I want to see how I can help doing that too. I could be a part of it.”

Audience members took advantage of a Q&A session to ask further questions.

Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Nashat Mansour kicked off the event.

A workshop on landslide risk assessment, hosted by the Department of Civil Engineering and held last week at LAU Byblos, attracted students and professors from several Lebanese universities, many of whom presented their research projects and findings.

The intercollegiate half-day workshop was organized and hosted by LAU Associate Professor Grace Abou Jaoude, whose latest research has centered on developing a map that clearly indicates the risk of landslides across all villages in Lebanon. The resulting documents, which were on display at the workshop, take into account the risk of both loss of life and infrastructure damage caused by potential rainfall and earthquake-induced landslide failures.

Among the eleven LAU students and graduates to work with Abou Jaoude on the project was Miriam Tawk. “This experience opened my horizons and showed me what research really entails,” said the alumna, who will this year be pursuing a Ph.D. in Australia. “The maps we produced are very important to Lebanon and should help both private and public sector institutions mitigate the risk of landslides. We need to be prepared. Lebanon can’t handle any more damage and failure.”

The research project, funded by USAID grant program Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER), follows an earlier stage of study on the topography and geology of Lebanon. The latter was also funded by a PEER grant, which resulted in the delineation of areas prone to slides during a major earthquake.

Receiving two PEER grants back to back is rare, says Joseph Wartman, associate professor of geotechnical engineering at Seattle’s University of Washington, who collaborated with Abou Jaoude’s team in completing the research. “This project has certainly strengthened the expertise available in our field,” said Wartman, adding that the quality of the undergraduate LAU students he collaborated with was comparable to that of graduate students he has worked with elsewhere.

Wartman was among the visiting scholars to present his own research at the workshop. While he outlined the effects of a recent earthquake in New Zealand on infrastructure systems, intercollegiate research unit RUMMARE detailed case studies from Dahr el Baidar and Kfarnabrakh.

A team from AUB then presented their work on risk assessment of clayey slopes, followed by a researcher from Université Saint Joseph who spoke about geotechnical assessment of landslides in Lebanon.

Also contributing to the knowledge exchange were two academics from the University of Balamand, one of whom described seismic damage in Byblos, while the other presented research that involved mapping forest fire risks across Lebanon and developing an interactive web portal to give citizens access to real-time information.

“We are delighted to provide an opportunity for others to present and exchange knowledge,” said Abou Jaoude of the workshop. “It is for the collective benefit of all our students and researchers.”

LAU student of civil engineering Hratch Agopian agreed. “Sharing knowledge this way is great for creating benchmarks for future work, promoting unified efforts and collaborating to access more funds.”

This figure shows a location in Jezzine where rockfall susceptibility and risk of a road was predicted by the study. The columns, observed on site, seem to have been constructed by locals to protect from rockfall runout on the road.

Wartman (center left) and Abou Jaoude (center right) surrounded by their students.

More than 300 health practitioners and students flocked to the Hilton Metropolitan Hotel, Beirut, on March 24 for LAU’s Third International Conference on Medical Education.

Organized by the university’s Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, this year’s conference centered on Simulation for Education and Patient Safety.

“Preventable medical errors result in more than 400,000 American citizens each year and are the third cause of death in the United States,” said LAU President Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra, citing a report published in the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research. As the root of such alarming statistics is the medical education culture, the document reveals, innovative educational approaches, like simulation-based learning, are necessary.

With simulation-based training at the heart of its health schools’ curricula, LAU is committed to ensuring the best academic standards and highest principles of medical education. “We are committed to excellence in medical education, and we are firm believers that the 21st century belongs to innovators,” said Jabbra. With this in mind, the medical school has established an innovative clinical simulation center at LAU Byblos which allows students from different health-related disciplines to practice in a patient-safe and controlled environment.

“Medical simulation can, and in fact should, play a major role in preparing our trainees to face the challenges of real life once they go out in the community and deliver health care,” said Dean of the School of Medicine Dr. Michel Mawad. “Our goal today is to prepare young physicians of the future to deliver health care with a minimum number of mistakes in the shortest learning curve possible,” he said, adding that medicine should take its cue from other industries―such as construction or aviation―that have simulation at their core.

Testifying to that, Captain Mohammed Aziz, advisor to the chairman of the Lebanese carrier Middle East Airlines, drew parallels between aviation and medicine in the diversity of their high risks and the pressures they place on the practitioners. With more than 23,000 of flight hours under his belt, Aziz, who has served as MEA’s head of corporate safety among other responsibilities, attested that simulation “gives the opportunity to implement the acquired knowledge and develop one’s skills and attitude by simulating team work in realistic environments similar to the ones encountered in the real world without jeopardizing lives.”

Equipped with a large array of simulators ranging from low-fidelity task trainers to high-fidelity computerized manikins, LAU’s clinical simulation center puts the most recent technology at the service of its trainees.

President of the conference, Associate Dean of Medical Education Dr. Zinat Hijazi described how LAU’s simulation program uses life-like manikins that simulate vital cues which, when connected to monitors, provide real-time information to the trainers. High-fidelity manikins act like real patients, interact with the learners, and present conditions that improve or worsen according to the care or interventions performed by the learners. “Our goal is to train our students on the human body, to sharpen their clinical skills and assessment abilities without harming any patients,” explained Hijazi.

Simulation, argued Dr. Antoine Tesniere, president of the Society in Europe for Simulation Applied to Medicine (SESAM) and co-chair of the conference’s scientific committee, has the potential not only to radically change the way medicine is taught, but also the fundamental way in which health care is provided. “In terms of improvements to our health-care system, [addressing medical error] is the highest impact we can have. It’s not about creating a new medicine or drug, it’s simply doing better what we do every day,” he said.

New technology, of course, brings new, potentially thorny questions. One audience member raised the issue of whether the growing practice of simulation in medical education might undermine the practitioner’s bedside manner, which is critical to the healing process. By way of response, Dr. René Amalberti, a specialist in medical error and senior advisor on patient safety at France’s Haute Autorité de Santé, emphasized the importance of striking a balance between simulation and theoretical knowledge.

Amalberti was one of nine speakers, internationally renowned  experts in the field of medical simulation taking part in the event that was organized in collaboration with SESAM and the Gathering of Healthcare Simulation Technology Specialists (SimGHOSTS).

The organizers made sure to involve all medical schools in Lebanon in the scientific committee of the conference. “We at LAU are among the pioneers in the field of simulation-based medical education in the region and this is the first Lebanese conference on the issue,” said Dr. Vanda Abi Raad, associate professor at the Department of Anesthesiology and director of the LAU Clinical Simulation Center and co-chair of the scientific committee. “But we believe that the importance of this conference goes beyond LAU to be a landmark at a national or even a regional level.”

The most valuable result of the conference, Abi Raad insisted, is that it creates a community of Lebanese professionals who can commune with and learn from each other with the ultimate goal of advancing medical simulation in Lebanon.

President Jabbra addressing the audience.

LAU medical students and faculty serenade the audience at the opening ceremony.

LAU students from different disciplines, including medicine, performed a short skit about a medical student, who helps out with a lady giving birth on a MEA flight thanks to his simulation-based training.

The program continued the next day with workshops and roundtables at LAU’s Clinical Simulation Center where participants were able to gain hands-on experience. The above photo shows the participants involved in a workshop on obstetrical emergencies using a simulator of birthing mother.

The workshops covered a wide array of topics ranging from “How to Build a Simulation Center” to “Implementing Objective Structured Clinical Examination in Health Sciences Schools”.

Dozens of founders and shareholders of family businesses, together with experts in business law and wealth management, gathered at LAU Byblos last week for a conference hosted by the university’s Institute of Family and Entrepreneurial Business.

“Planning for succession may sound easy but we have found that families face plenty of obstacles,” said Director of the Institute Josiane Fahed-Sreih in her welcoming note. “Lack of structure, leadership, and responsibility, as well as entitlement and nepotism,” added the associate professor of management, were only a few of the factors that led to the demise of family businesses. “The succession planning process that the family embarks on is more important than the plan itself. It should involve younger family members, and be planned with them and not for them.”

With this observation, Fahed-Sreih kicked off the full day conference, held under the patronage of the Minister of Economy & Trade Raed Khoury. The event included presentations by lawyers and bankers as well as personal accounts of co-owners of family businesses.

“Small to medium enterprises make up 95 per cent of our economy and a good portion of those are family-owned businesses,” said Assistant General Manager and Head of Multi Family Office and Investment Advisory at Cedrus Bank Emile Albina, speaking on behalf of the minister. “We, therefore, need to ensure the development of a culture of good governance in family business to safeguard continuity.” This, he noted, would require a willingness among family business owners to embrace staff empowerment, transparency and structure.

While a number of speakers stressed the importance of formalized governance, President of manufacturing firm Indevco Nehmat Frem brought up another major component. “If, as family members owning a business, you don’t have love and shared values, it’s not worth making the effort to keep a family business going. It’s easier to cash out,” said Frem, whose late father, Georges Frem, founded the company and sponsored the Frem Civic Center at which the conference was held.

Fahed-Sreih concurred, adding that data gathered by the Institute showed a correlation between trust within a family and the financial performance of the business, its growh and expansion plans. The oldest such center in Lebanon and the MENA region, the Institute has studied and supported family enterprises since its founding in 2000 as part of the Adnan Kassar School of Business. It has been holding monthly presentations and discussion forums since establishing a network of family businesses in 2012, and has recently launched a certificate program in family business management.

COO of Salam International Investment Ltd., Hussam Abu Issa, spoke candidly about the difficulties his family faced in the management of the business his father had left them. “We, the brothers and heirs, did not agree on the direction the company should be taking,” said Abu Issa, who stepped down from his managerial position to avoid conflict before building another company that ultimately merged with the family business. “All but one of third generation members do not want to work in the company. This isn’t bad. It’s a savior,” he said, remarking that many family businesses are now choosing to appoint non-family members in senior management and to the board.

Future Pipe Industries Group, founded by Fouad Makhzoumi, appointed a non-family member as CEO, explained his wife May Makhzoumi, soon after their son passed away. “He was a visionary and breathed new life into the company,” she said of Rami, who had been CEO of the company when he died aged 33. Second generation family business owners, she believes, are driven by continuity of the family name and vision more than business success.

Many difficulties, it was suggested, arise when family businesses are inherited by the third generation, especially one that consists of several members and that grew up enjoying the wealth of the business.

Trusts, said Director Wealth Planner at Citibank Richard Masters, were a good way of enabling family members to enjoy the wealth of the business without running the risk of inter-family conflict leading to its dissolution. “People think it’s important to own wealth, but owning assets in your personal name creates a lot of problems. What matters is having access to it and control of it,” said Masters, expanding on the functionality of trusts.

Such resources, as well as improved education and business acumen, may be why the average life expectancy of a family-owned business has risen from 26 to 60 years in the past two decades.

A delegation from this conference visited Lebanese President Michel Aoun the following day to submit a proposal for better regulations for family businesses.

Dean of the Adnan Kassar School of Business Said Ladki noted with satisfaction the high participation of young business women.

A delegation of participants went to visit President Michel Aoun the next day with recommendations for better regulations in the field.

The event took place at the university campus in Byblos.

Following the gathering of European leaders in Rome on March 25 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, European diplomats in Lebanon met at LAU Beirut to discuss the main achievements and current challenges the European Union is facing. They debated potential future scenarios for the block recalling that its founding principles included socio-economic solidarity, respect for human rights, unity and the rule of law for a peaceful Europe.

“Like you, we value tradition and build on it for a more promising future,” said LAU Provost George K. Najjar to the ambassadors. “As an institution bridging the past, the present and the future, our university is committed to strengthen its partnership with the EU, upholding, fostering and promoting the shared values of human rights, democracy, diversity, rule of law, gender equality and multi-lateral cooperation in pursuit of a better future for the coming generations.”

Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon Christina Lassen told the audience that this anniversary was an opportunity to look back at how much the EU has achieved throughout the years. “It is a reminder of why we decided to have the EU in the first place and why countries have decided to join this cooperation,” she said. “We are proud of what we have achieved.”

On his part, Ambassador of Italy Massimo Marotti emphasized that “the European integration process cannot stop as a result of the current crisis and the new challenges. Addressing the people’s concerns in order to relaunch the European model is our key challenge.”

According to keynote speaker Secretary General of the European University Institute of Florence Vincenzo Grassi, “It is time for the EU to turn its weakness into strength and to recreate a new European solidarity. The reasons to be together as a union are still strong, and Europe can still be a key player on the international scene. United we stand, divided we fall."

Grassi’s talk led to a number of questions from an audience, including LAU students, not only about the refugee crisis―one of the main challenges the EU is currently facing –but also about the defense strategy on the European continent, among others.

A member of the audience, former M.P. Nayla Mouawad, recalled the crucial role that the Union is playing in fighting terrorism in the region – whether through its educational and social programs or its diplomacy. “Your work is essential for the stability of our country and region and we are thankful.”

Beyond the numerous ideas exchanged during the lecture, students had the opportunity to directly interact with the speakers.

Chair of the Department of Social Sciences Marwan Rowayheb, associate professor of political science and international affairs said, “This event is very important for students, especially for those enrolled in political science. It gives them the opportunity to interact with European diplomats and experts, and to have a real view of what 60 years of collaboration mean in diplomacy.”

For Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Tamirace Fakhoury, master of ceremony, the university has become a platform for cross-cultural interactions. “It is a space to enhance global partnerships while deepening our collaboration with European institutions and member states.”

LAU students are the first beneficiaries of that. “It helps to see how unity lacks in the Arab world, and to hear, from the source, a real diplomatic language we need here,” said third year student Ameer El Samman. Her colleague Rima Yassine agreed: “For a first-year student in political science and international affairs like me, such opportunities boost my self-confidence."

Former M.P. Nayla Mouawad addressing the speakers.

The lecture was followed by a Q&A session during which students had the opportunity to interact with the speakers.

From right: Ambassador Massimo Marotti, Ambassador Christina Lassen, Provost George K. Najjar, LAU professor Tamirace Fakhoury and Ambassador Vincenzo Grassi.