Lebanese University


The Lebanese University is the only state-funded public university in Lebanon. It was established in 1951.
The university's main campus was originally located in Beirut, but a few satellite campuses were opened due to travel restrictions during the Lebanese Civil War. It has three main campuses: Rafic Hariri Campus, Fanar Campus and North Campus. The Roumieh campus, which features a faculty of engineering, is one of the satellite campuses.
The university currently enrolls thousands of students and is organized into 16 faculties. It offers a range of degree programs, include undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. The primary language of instruction is Arabic.

History

The creation of the Lebanese University was an idea first mentioned in the speech of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hamid Frangieh, during the closing ceremony of the Third UNESCO Conference in Beirut held on 11 December 1948, during which he said: "Lebanon hopes to see the creation of a Lebanese university having the spirit of UNESCO."
The establishment of the Lebanese University came as a result of a popular and student mobilization initiated on 23 January 1951 with a general strike that lasted for a long period during which, secondary and university students, mostly from Saint Joseph University participated. The movement included demonstrations and clashes with security forces that lead the Council of Ministers to meet on 5 February of the same year.

University presidents

Since its inception, the Lebanese University has been headed by:
Khalil Al-Jurr
Fouad Afram al-Bustani
Edmond Naim
Boutros Dib
Georges Tohme
Michel Assi
Hashem Haidar
Asaad Diab
Ibrahim Qubaisi
Zuhair Shukr
Adnan Al Sayed Hussein
Fouad Hussein Ayoub
Bassam Badran2021–present

and it has been headed by Bassam Badran since 2021.

Faculties and campuses

The university issued successive decrees since its inception, establishing faculties and institutes, which contributed to its expansion and development until reaching 16 faculties:
Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences
Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences
Faculty of Sciences
Institute of Social Science
Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture
Faculty of Pedagogy
Faculty of Information
Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Agronomy
Faculty of Public Health
Faculty of Medical Sciences
Faculty of Dental Medicine
Faculty of Pharmacy
Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management
Faculty of Technology, in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation in France

In addition to three Doctoral Schools:
Doctoral School of Literature, Humanities & Social Sciences
Doctoral School of Law, Political, Administrative and Economic Sciences
Doctoral School of Science and Technology

The university is also affiliated with the Institute of Applied Sciences and Economics , which operates in cooperation with CNAM in France.

Honorary doctorates

The university awarded honorary doctorates to a number of heads of state and officials, including in chronological order:
The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
The King of Morocco, Mohammed V
The Tunisian President, Habib Bourguiba
The Senegalese President, Leopold Senghor
The Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie
The Romanian President, Nikolai Ceausescu
The Armenian President, Robert Kocharian
The Iranian President, Seyed Mohammad Khatami
The Saudi Minister of Interior, Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
The Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan
The German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier

In 2009, the Lebanese University started awarding honorary doctorates to Lebanese personalities.

Mission

The Lebanese University is the only public institution in Lebanon carrying out the functions of the public higher education with its various majors and degrees, scientific research, and continuous training.

Rankings and reputation

In the 2024 QS World University Rankings, the Lebanese University ranks 577 worldwide, a record-high after being placed 701–750 in 2021.

Notable alumni