Results

Honorary Doctorates

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Mr. Rafik Hariri

Title: Former Prime Minister of Lebanon

Nationality: Lebanese

Grant Date: 12 April 1994

Event: Hosting the Union of Arab Universities Conference


1 November 1944 - 14 February 2005

  • A Lebanese leader
  • Former Prime Minister
  • One of the world's leading businessmen
  • Played an important role in ending the Lebanese Civil War and the reconstruction of Lebanon.
  • Offered university scholarships to more than 36000 students from all Lebanese regions along 20 years.
  • Provided assistance to the victims of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, orphanages, nursing homes, and other charities.
  • A self-made millionaire who did not inherit money or power, as did most of Lebanon's politicians.
  • The world's richest people as a result of his personal efforts.
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Dr. Ismail Serageldin

Title: Founding Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (2002-2017)

Nationality: Egyptian

Grant Date: 25 June 2009

Event: BAU’s Grand Annual Commencement Ceremony (2008-2009)


  • Born in Giza in 1944.
  • Graduated with honours from the Faculty of Engineering, Department of Architecture at Cairo University in 1964.
  • Master's degree in Regional Planning with distinction in 1968.
  • PhD from Harvard University, USA in 1972.
  • Director of the Modern Library of Alexandria since its opening in October 2002 until May 2017.
  • Prior to working at the library.
  • Former Vice President of the World Bank.
  • Wrote over 45 books in various fields of culture and development.
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Dr. Assem Salam

Title: Former President of the Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut

Nationality: Lebanese

Grant Date: 10 September 2012

Event: During the RIBA Accreditation undertakings at the Faculty of Architecture- BAU


1924 - 2012

  • Bachelor degree in Architectural Engineering from Cambridge University, England in 1950.
  • Practiced engineering in his private office since 1956.
  • Former chairman of the Arab Architects Association 1998-2001 (Union of Arab Engineers) .
  • Founded the Department of Architecture at the American University of Beirut in 1954 .
  • Associate professor at the American University of Beirut, Department of Architecture until 1977.
  • Worked on issuing the new law and the internal regulations of the union together with the consequent establishment of new branches of the union based on highlighting their respective specialty as well as the system of professional associations and other constituent matters.
  • Completed a lot of architectural designs in Lebanon .
  • Has a number of publications in the field of architecture.
  • Leading advocate of the Lebanese heritage.
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Mr. Mohamed Hout

Position: Chairman and Director General of MEA

Nationality: Lebanese

Grant Date: 7 November 2017

Occasion: BAU’s 58th Foundation Day


  • Born in Beirut in 1959.
  • MBA and a Bachelor of Economics from the American University of Beirut.
  • Chairman and Director General of Middle East Airlines - Lebanese Airlines.
  • Director of Financial and Real Estate Assets at Bank of Lebanon and Advisor to the Governor of Bank of Lebanon in the field of crisis management.
  • Joined Bank of Lebanon as an economist.
  • Promoted to become Deputy Director of Statistics and Economic Studies.
  • Led the reform process of the Middle East Airlines - Lebanese Airlines after two successive decades of heavy losses, regaining its leading role to become a successful company starting in 2002 for 15 years in a row.
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Sir Prof. Magdy Yacoub

Title: Universal Heart Surgeon

Nationality: Egyptian

Grant Date: 28 June 2018

Occasion: BAU’s Grand Annual Commencement Ceremony (2017-2018)


  • British Egyptian Professor and a Prominent Heart Surgeon.
  • Born on 16 November 1935 in Belbeis, Sharqia, Egypt to an Orthodox Coptic family, Minya descendants.
  • Studied medicine at Cairo University and in Chicago.
  • Worked at Chest Hospital in London in 1962.
  • Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Harvard Hospital (1969-2001) .
  • Professor at the National Heart and Lung Institute in 1986.
  • Director of Research and Education at Harvard Hospital (since 1992).
  • Interested in the development of cardiac transference techniques since 1967. In 1980, he did a heart transplant operation for patient Drake Morris, who became the longest surviving European heart transplant patient until his death in July 2005.
  • Appointed a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1966 and is called the King of Hearts in the British media.
  • Received a Fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons in London .
  • Received titles and honours from the British Brunel, Cardiff, Loughborough, and Middlesex universities, as well as Lund University, Sweden.
  • Honorary degree from Lahore University, Pakistan and the University of Siena, Italy.
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Prof. Nadey S. Hakim

Title: British-Lebanese Transplant Surgeon

Nationality: Lebanese

Grant Date: 7 November 2018

Occasion: BAU’s 59th Foundation Day


  • Qualified from Paris Descartes University in 1984.
  • Laureate of the Faculty of Medicine Cochin Port Royal. Surgical training Guy’s Hospital, PhD from University College London. Gastrointestinal Fellowship Mayo Clinic and Transplant Fellowship University of Minnesota.
  • Published over 150 peer-reviewed papers and has written/edited 23 textbooks in the field of General, Transplant and Bariatric surgery.
  • Started the first Pancreas Transplant Program in the SE of England.
  • The First Max Thorek Professor of Surgery.
  • Professor of Transplantation Surgery at Imperial College London.
  • Awarded Honorary Professorships from Lyon University, Ricardo Palma Lima Peru University, Bashkent Ankara University, University of São Paulo .
  • Visiting Professor at several institutions worldwide including Harvard and the Cleveland Clinic.
  • The Envoy of the Imperial College President.
  • The 35th President of the International College of Surgeons.
  • Awarded the 2007 J. Wesley Alexander Prize for outstanding research in the field of Transplantation. London School of Surgery Transplant Tutor 2008 to date.
  • Vice President Royal Society of Medicine (2014-2016). Governor American College of Surgeons UK Chapter (2014-2020). Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (2016).
  • Ambassador of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) UK House of Commons (2018-). Membre de l”Academie Francaise de Chirurgie.
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Ms. Raya Hafar Al Hasan

Title: Minister of Interior (2019)

Nationality: Lebanese

Grant Date: 20 June 2019

Occasion: BAU’s Grand Annual Commencement Ceremony (2021-2022)- Tripoli Campus


  • A graduate of the School of Business at the American University.
  • Master's Degree in Finance and Investment from Georgetown University .
  • Appointed Minister of Interior in the government of President Saad Hariri in December 2019.
  • President of the Board and Director General of the Special Economic Zone in Tripoli.
  • Appointed Minister of Finance in the first government by President Saad Hariri between 2009 and 2011.
  • Held various positions in the Prime Minister's Office between 2003 and 2005 and worked on a number of National major portfolios such as an observer for the implementation of the Paris III program and the United Nations Lebanon Recovery Fund at the beginning of 2006 as well as supervising the World Bank project for the design and the implementation of social sector reforms.
  • Held numerous advisory responsibilities and held various positions in the banking sector.
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Ms. Magida El Roumi

Title: Artist and Singer

Nationality: Lebanese

Grant Date: 27 June 2019

Occasion:BAU’s Grand Annual Commencement Ceremony (2018-2019)


  • The daughter of the artist Halim Roumi, who grew up in an artistic family from Lebanon.
  • Studied and graduated from the Lebanese University .
  • One of the most renowned Lebanese and Arab Artists and one of the few who have always been committed to conservative art, carefully selecting poems and melodies for poets and composers who have made her songs immortal since the release of her first song in 1975.
  • Sang in front of many kings and presidents her national songs and poetry poems in Lebanon and the world, which made her the ambassador of the Lebanese song carrying the title of "singer of intellectuals" to indicate the advancement of her art.
  • Got introduced to the steps taken by the ESCWA to reduce poverty among young people which led her to launch the campaign of the Hurt People Party.
  • Her art led her to receive a large number of high honors in Lebanon, France, Spain and Tunisia.
  • She was appointed FAO Goodwill Ambassador.
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Mr. Toufic Kreishan

Title: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Administration in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Nationality: Jordanian

Grant Date: 23 June 2022

Occasion: BAU’s Grand Annual Commencement Ceremony (2021-2022)


  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Beirut Arab University in 1972.
  • Worked as Head of the Accounting Department at the Jordan Petroleum Refinery.
  • Began his career in the service of the country and society.
  • Member of parliament in Jordan .
  • Held the position of the Minister of Municipal, Rural and Environmental Affairs, Minister Parliamentary Affairs.
  • Member of the Jordanian Senate many times till he held the position Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan and Minister of Local Administration.
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Mr. Hani Azer

Title: President of the “Egypt Can” Foundation in the Arab Republic of Egypt

Nationality: Egyptian

Grant Date: 23 June 2022

Occasion: BAU’s Grand Annual Commencement Ceremony (2021-2022)


  • Holds the position of Advisor to the Egyptian Prime Minister for Transport and Tunnels.
  • A member of the Egyptian Presidential Advisory Council for Scientists and Experts.
  • A member of the Board of Trustees for Zewail City.
  • A member of the Board of Trustees for King Salman University.
  • Honorary President of “Egypt Can” Foundation.
  • A world-renowned tunnel expert and was the chief engineer of the Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the German capital's central station which was renovated after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
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Dr. Basseem Al-Halabi

Title: Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Benchmark International in the Lebanese Republic

Nationality: Lebanese

Grant Date: 23 June 2022

Occasion: BAU’s Grand Annual Commencement Ceremony (2021-2022)


  • Bachelor of Architecture from Beirut Arab University.
  • A real estate executive with more than 30 years of experience in planning, design and development of residential complexes and mixed-use projects.
  • Served in both the public and private sectors, which gave him in-depth knowledge of real estate markets and government laws.
  • Recipient of several international awards.
  • Chairman and CEO of Benchmark International.
Nawwaf Salam

Dr. Nawwaf Salam

Title: The President of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon.

Nationality: Lebanese

Grant Date: 4 June 2025

Occasion: BAU’s Grand Annual Commencement Ceremony (2024-2025)


  • Master degree in Law from Harvard University, a Doctorate in History from the Sorbonne University and a state Doctorate in Political Science from Paris Institute of Political Studies.
  • Lecturer at the Sorbonne University.
  • Lecturer of International Relations and International Law at the American University of Beirut.
  • Ambassador to the United Nations between 2007 and 2017.
  • Represented Lebanon at the Security Council during its term in 2010 and 2011, President of this Council in May 2010 and September 2011.
  • President of the International Court of Justice(2024-2025).
  • Author of numerous books in politics, history and law, the most recent is “Lebanon between Yesterday and Tomorrow”, which was published in Beirut in 2021.