Lebanese American University

Coordinates: 33°53′34″N 35°28′40″E / 33.89278°N 35.47778°E / 33.89278; 35.47778

Lebanese American University
الجامعة اللبنانية الأميركية
Former name
 American School for Girls (1835-1924)
Beyrouth University College (1924-1994)
Motto To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield
Type Private
Established 1835
President Joseph G. Jabbra
Provost George K. Najja
Administrative staff
 308 full-time and 487 part-time faculty; 610 full-time and 171 part-time Staff (Fall 2015)[1]
Students 8,348 (7,553 Undergraduate, 505 Graduate, 230 Doctoral-Professional) (Fall 2015)[1]
Location Beirut and Byblos, Lebanon[2]
Language English
Website www.lau.edu.lb

The Lebanese American University (Arabic: الجامعة اللبنانية الأميركية ) is a secular, private and independent American university and research institution located in Lebanon. The university is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (CIHE–NEASC).[3] It is composed of two campuses, one in Beirut and the other in Byblos, and offers programs leading to degrees in Arts, Business, Engineering, Nursing, Sciences, Pharmacy, and Medicine.

LAU is governed by a Board of Trustees[4] that oversees the primary functions of leadership, stewardship and audit. A Board of International Advisors[5] provides counsel on university policies and other matters to the Board of Trustees, president, and senior management.

Campuses

LAU's two main campuses — Beirut and Byblos — are located on hillsides near the Mediterranean Sea, around 35 kilometers apart. The campuses offer similarly structured programs in arts, sciences, and business. Programs in nursing and medicine, as well as junior and senior year courses in engineering and pharmacy, are offered exclusively in Byblos.

The 25,368-square-meter Beirut campus is within reach of the capital. The 159,424-square-meter Byblos campus was inaugurated in 1991 and has seen constant development — from two to ten buildings — since then. Students on both campuses have access to libraries, gymnasiums, residence halls, theaters, wireless internet, computer centers, laboratories, and academic support services.

In 2013, LAU inaugurated its new headquarters in New York City[6] and a new Executive Center in downtown Beirut.[7]

Charter and Accreditation[8]

The Lebanese American University (LAU) is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. The University of the State of New York is the sole entity authorized by the State of New York to incorporate higher education institutions and to authorize them to confer degrees.

LAU is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (CIHE—NEASC). is the oldest regional accrediting association in the United States developing and regularly reviewing standards for educational institutions of all levels.

The School of Pharmacy is a full member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Currently, the Doctor of Pharmacy program at LAU is the only one outside the United States of America that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Hence, Pharm.D. graduates are eligible for licensure as pharmacists in most U.S. states and provinces.

The following undergraduate Engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET): B.E. in Civil Engineering, B.E. in Computer Engineering, B.E. in Electrical Engineering, B.E. in Industrial Engineering, and B.E. in Mechanical Engineering.

LAU’s B.S. in Computer Science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

In April 2016, the LAU Adnan Kassar School of Business has been awarded the AACSB accreditation, joining the select 5 percent of accredited business schools worldwide.[9]

LAU has earned accreditation for its Adnan Kassar School of Business. Its undergraduate and graduate programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The programs are: B.S. in Business Studies, B.S. in Economics, B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA).

The Bachelor of Architecture degree at LAU is officially recognized by the French Ministry of Culture & Communication, thus allowing our graduates to practice in France and the European Union. In addition, the Bachelor of Architecture program is in process of being reviewed for accreditation by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) which accredits all architecture programs in the United States.

Academics and Rankings

LAU has seven schools divided into several departments.[10]

University Rankings
QS World 2016[11] 651-700
QS Arab Region[12] 15
QS Arab Region (Lebanon)[12] 2

LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital

The university's expansion into the field of medical education was buttressed by the acquisition of the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital (LAUMC–RH). LAUMC–RH is designed to support LAU's Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy by providing clinical facilities and services for teaching and training.

This large medical campus currently houses several centers, offering radiology and imaging, dialysis, endoscopy, dermatology, ophthalmology, IVF, and cardiology.[13]

LAU New York Headquarters and Academic Center

LAU's New York Headquarters and Academic Center, located at 211 E. 46th St in Manhattan, was inaugurated in September 2013. The high-tech facility includes classrooms, business and admissions offices, a student lounge, and a library. It is also home to the LAU's New York Advancement Staff. At the center, faculty offer courses in a variety of fields that include Islamic banking, peace education, gender studies in the Arab world, and the Arabic language. Regular international conferences and workshops, including public lectures from leading scholars on contemporary regional issues are hosted there as well. LAU has also initiated partnerships with U.S. universities allowing students to transfer credits for courses taken at the Academic Center.[14]

LAU Executive Center @ Solidere

LAU and Solidere have partnered to offer a new venue for courses, conferences and seminars in Beirut Central District, the reconstructed heart of the Lebanese capital.The LAU Executive Center @ Solidere hosts E.M.B.A. and M.B.A. courses, along with executive workshops and seminars. The center is located at 1301 Marfaa, Beyhum Street. It was inaugurated on August 23, 2013.[15]

Students

In Fall 2013, 20 percent of the student population hailed from outside Lebanon, with 78 nationalities represented in the population, as well as students from all of Lebanon's diverse cultural backgrounds spread on both campuses.

In the fall term of the 2013–2014 academic year, a total of 8,146 students were enrolled at LAU.[1]

Student Life

Play Productions

The university has three theaters—Gulbenkian and Irwin in Beirut, and Selina Korban in Byblos—that are active year-round. Student productions are required of certain majors, and are presented throughout the academic year. The university also offers two major productions, in the fall and spring, and an annual international theater festival that attracts groups from other Middle Eastern universities. Participation in play productions at the university is open to students of any major.[16]

Varsity Sports

The basketball, football, handball, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, swimming, and rugby teams at university participate in various local, regional and international collegiate tournaments.[17]

Student Governance

Participation in university's Campus Student Councils and the University Student Council, as well as the Graduate Student Committees on both campuses gives students a voice in the decision-making sphere. Students choose their representatives during elections held in accordance with the respective bylaws.[18]

Libraries

At LAU's Beirut and Byblos libraries,[19] comprehensive traditional print collections are supplemented by hundreds of electronic databases and thousands of full-text electronic serial titles, thus giving students, faculty and staff millions of scholarly articles, available at their fingertips.

Through agreements with institutions abroad, LAU's libraries are able to secure in-demand materials otherwise unavailable in Lebanon.

The Riyad Nassar Library in Beirut houses a number of special collections relevant to women's studies, education, Islamic art, and architecture, as well as the oldest collection of children's books in Lebanon.

The Libraries at the university comprise the following:

Centers and Institutes

Renowned faculty chair LAU's many centers and institutes. Regular conferences, workshops, and seminars offer specialized knowledge and access to resources throughout the year. Centers and institutes provide specialized training to students, researchers, faculty, and professionals from around the world.

Special programs

University Enterprise Office (UEO)

LAU's University Enterprise Office plays a strategic advisory and coordination role in the university's projects throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It oversees the management of the Iraqi Fellows (IF) program, and the Middle East Partnership Initiative's (MEPI's) Tomorrow's Leaders (TL) and Leaders for Democracy Fellows (LDF) programs. The IF program is managed in coordination with the Embassy of Iraq in Beirut, and the LDF program is managed in partnership with Syracuse University in New York.

Institute for Women's Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW)

The Institute for Women's Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) was established in 1973 to pay tribute to LAU's rich history as a school for women. Today, IWSAW is a leading institution in women's empowerment and gender equality in – and for - the Arab world. IWSAW's mission is to (1) Advance women's empowerment and gender equality nationally, regionally and globally, through research, education, development programs and outreach (2) Integrate gender issues across all programs of study at LAU to build a knowledge base that promotes gender equality and human rights in the Arab world (3) Conduct pioneering research on women in the Arab world to amplify Arab voices in global discourses on gender, and turn theory into practice by engaging in development projects to promote women's rights in the region. The Institute works on 5 key areas: Education, Research, Development Projects, Outreach, and LAU Engagement.

Faculty

LAU's recently completed strategic plan significantly raised the bar of faculty qualifications. Out of 312 full-time faculty members, 73 percent hold doctorates or the highest degree in their field, earned from reputable institutions in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, Lebanon and other countries.

The university's faculty is remarkably diverse: 48 percent of instructors are Lebanese, 39 percent are dual-nationals, and 13 percent are non-Lebanese foreigners. Forty-one percent of full-time faculty members are women. The approximate student–faculty ratio on both campuses is 18:1 (full-time equivalents for fall 2013).[1]

Staff

With 588 full-time staff members, LAU is among the largest private employers in Lebanon and one of the fastest-growing universities in the region. Key service areas include student development and enrollment management, information technology, advancement, administration, human resources, and marketing and communications.[1]

Alumni

Alumni chapters

[20]

Notable Alumni

References

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