Round Table “Provision of support to Higher Education in Times of Collapse” – 30 May 2023

The HOPES-LEB project together with the National Erasmus+ Office of Lebanon organised a round Table entitled “Provision of support to Higher Education in Times of Collapse” on May 30, 2023 at the Gefinor Rotana Hotel, Beirut. 

This gathering is a continuation of the “Higher Education in times of collapse” series of stakeholder dialogues which were organised throughout 2022 on a national level, bringing together professionals and academics, representatives of institutions and organisations as well as students, to further discuss the current situation in the higher education sector in Lebanon and its impact on students and education providers, allowing the development and launching of the recommendations for the Provision of Immediate Support for the Lebanese Higher Education System.

The purpose of this round table was to provide a platform of discussion between regional and international relevant donor agencies and providers of support in the fields of education, capacity building, livelihoods, youth, etc. with national representatives of higher and further education institutions and organisations allowing to further understand challenges faced in application processes as well as the main areas and priorities of funding and response mechanisms. 

After the welcome addresses, the first session entitled “Exploring concrete priorities for support and mechanisms of application” was moderated by Nina Knops, acting project director of the HOPES-LEB project and included presentations with respect to main areas, programmes and priorities of funding by the following guest speakers:

  • Imane Abbas, Coordinator of the doctoral fellowships and mobility program, National Council for Scientific Research of Lebanon
  • Orla Colclough, Programme Assistant, Higher Education, TVET and youth focal point at the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon
  • Jean-Marie Moreau, Programme Officer, European Commission, DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR)
  • Fadi Yarak, Senior Adviser for Education in the Arab States, UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in the Arab States-Beirut
  • Lia Renaud, Policy officer, University and Scientific cooperation, French Embassy in Lebanon
  • Alain Waked, Senior Policy Officer, Embassy of the Netherlands in Lebanon
  • Mary Neaimeh, Peace Education Associate, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The second session moderated by Aref Alsoufi, Director of the National Erasmus+ Office of Lebanon focused on the Challenges in application processes and partnership mechanisms through a lively debate between the following representatives of donor agencies as well as local institutions  

  • Rima Mattar, Deputy President for International Affairs and Global Initiatives at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK)
  • Mustafa Jazar, CEO, Lebanese Association for Scientific Research – LASeR
  • Orla Colclough, Programme Assistant, Higher Education, TVET and youth focal point at the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon
  • Fadi Yarak, Senior Adviser for Education in the Arab States, UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in the Arab States-Beirut
  • Mary Neaimeh, Peace Education Associate, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The objective of the second session was to further analyse challenges and shortcomings faced in application processes from a donor and from the local institutions’ perspective. The discussion focused on the needs  of local institutions and the main expectations of donor agencies, in terms of partnerships and applications to be received. Guest speakers provided advice to improve application processes and recommendations in terms of finding the right donors / fundraising mechanism that fit to the goals of local institutions.

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