The National Erasmus+ Office in Lebanon and the team of Higher Education Reform Experts, are organising a seminar on “Civic Engagement in the Lebanese Higher Education” on February 16, 2017 at Rafik Hariri University, Mechref.
This event is organised in collaboration with the Directorate General of Higher Education, as part of a series of Erasmus+ HEREs events contributing to higher education reform at national level.
The seminar is an occasion to review some good practices and successful approaches adopted by several Lebanese higher education institutions in the field of civic engagement and presents the concept as seen in the European Higher Education Area. A draft Charter for civic engagement in the Lebanese higher education is presented and discussed.
All Lebanese higher education institutions are invited to this event.
Concept Note
Higher education has never played a more central role in societal and economic development than today. All stakeholders, including government and socioeconomic actors look to higher education in order to deliver on important goals. These goals include among others socio-economic development, skill levels improvement, social inclusion and cultural enhancement.
Inherent to its function, higher education has the potential to develop individuals so they contribute to society and societal development in meaningful and holistic ways. Throughout their learning path within higher education, students develop their critical thinking and independent thoughts. Universities shall be keen to develop their students’ analytical skills outside of their chosen field of study. This will equip them with necessary competency to negotiate the complexities of modern societies. Universities shall also work on fostering the skills and mindsets necessary to engage with and contribute to civic life while respecting democratic values and human rights.
Besides their central role in developing the economy of knowledge, the universities are required to lead the social development while preserving the social cohesion, the democratic values and human rights. The Lebanese universities are not exception in this regard, but rather this role is even more central in the local and regional context. The Erasmus+ Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs) in Lebanon organise a one day seminar to discuss this important role of modern higher education and what is necessary to successfully accomplish this challenging mission.
The seminar will offer the occasion to review some good practices and successful approaches adopted in the European Higher Education Area. Several Lebanese experiences in the domain of civic engagement will also be presented together with the outcomes of several European Tempus and Erasmus+ projects. The major outcomes of the survey conducted by the HEREs at the occasion of this seminar will be also detailed. The presentations and discussions will be organised on three major axes:
- The civic engagement components in the academic programmes, curricula and courses
- The internal colleges’ activities related to civic engagement,
- The national community service projects that foster civic engagement.
Challenges and opportunities related to the development of the civic engagement will also be discussed.
Finally, a draft charter for civic engagement in the Lebanese higher education shall be presented and discussed.
09:00 - 09:30 |
Registration and welcome coffee |
09:30 - 10:00 |
Welcome Notes |
10:00 - 11:30 |
Session1: Concept of Civic Engagement in HE (EU and Lebanon)
|
11:30 -12:00 |
Coffee break |
12:00 -13:30 |
Session2: Exchange and reflection on local good practices
|
13:30 – 14:30 |
Lunch break |
14:30 – 16:00 |
Session3: Exchange and reflection on local good practices
|
16:00-16:30 |
Concluding remarks and recommendations |
EU Delegation
Abel Piqueras
Abdallah Chebly
Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Directorate General of Higher Education
Ahmad Jammal
EU Expert
Lucas Meijs
National Erasmus+ Office Lebanon
Aref Alsoufi
Higher Education Reform Experts - Lebanon
Chafic Mokbel
Nada Moghaizel Nasr
Pierre Gedeon
Mohamad Oueidat
Hania Nakkash
USJ
Hayat Azouri Tannous
Samar Chamoun
Gloria Abdo
LAU
Elie Samia
Ghina Harb
AUB
Rabih Shibli
LIU
Hassan Khacfeh
Anwar Kawtharani
Khouloud Al-Khatib
MUBS
Nidal makarem
Hanin Ibrahim
UOB
Antoine Jerjes
Samer Annous
Oumaya Quran
Université Antonine
Micheline Ghattas
Hoda Irani
AZM University
Jamal Abed
Al Manar University of Tripoli
Walid Kamali
Fadi Sukkari
Ranim El-Sayed
AOU
Rana Haidar
Carla Bader
Doreen Kharrat
RHU
Ahmad Smaili
Hiam Loutfi
Mohamad Diab
Bassam Msallem
Jamil Hammoud
Maysa Banat
Rida Nuwayhid
Mohamad Taha
Hisham Basha
Mohamad Ladan
Houssam Salami
Maaref University
Hussin J. Hejase
AUNOHR University
Issam Mansour
Hala Abou Ali
IUL
Joseph Ghazi
Mirna MEKDAD
Ghadi Mokaled
AUST
Zouha Attieh
NGOs
Sara Rammal, NAHNOO
Karine Nahhas, Makhzoumi Foundation
Dima Osman, RHHS