“International Post Graduate Studies in Environmental Management and Sustainability for Mediterranean Countries” (ENVIPRO-Med) Kick-off Meeting at BAU

https://www.bau.edu.lb/Public-Relations/News/-International-Post-Graduate-Studies-in-Environmental-Management-and-Sustainability-for-Mediterranean-Countries-ENVIPRO-Med-Kick-off-Meeting-at-BAU

With the aim to formally introduce ENVIPRO_Med project team present in Lebanon and reset project timelines due to delays caused by COVID-19 lockdowns, a project meeting was held on Dec. 8th 2020 at the Faculty of Science at Debbieh Campus. “International Post Graduate Studies in Environmental Management and Sustainability for Mediterranean Countries” (ENVIPRO-Med) Project is designed to develop a collaborative postgraduate master's program between the Faculty of Science at BAU and the Master “Ingénierie en Écologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité” (IEGB) of Montpellier University, France in partnership with the Environmental Observatory O-Life, and ECO-MED, France. ENVIPRO_Med aims at strengthening environmental education and building capacities of Lebanon and the region to address the severity and complexity of current environmental challenges. The Kick- off meeting was attended by Dr. Carla Khater, Coordinator, Environmental Observatory (O-Life) & Associate Researcher at the center for remote sensing, CNRS-L; Dr. Laurent Drapeau, Coordinator at the National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) & O-Life GDRI-Sud & Associate Researcher, Centre d'Etudes Spatiales de la Biosphère (CESBIO), CNRS-F; Dr. Johnny Fenianos, ECOMED for Environmental Consultants, France; members of Biological Sciences Department, BAU (Dr. Ghada Khawaja, Assistant Dean; Dr. Mahmoud Khalil, Chair; and Dr. Jamila Borjac) and Dr. Safa Baydoun, Director, Research Center of Environment and Development, BAU. Online participants were Kathryn Jeffery, Research Fellow, University of Stirling, UK and Dr. Rania Amer, Professor of Environmental Biotechnology, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, GEBRI, City of Scientific Research and Technology Applications (SRTA-City), Egypt.

The meeting started with welcoming words by Pr. Ramadan Awad, Faculty’s Dean and Dr. Ghada Khawaja acknowledging the promising potential of ENVIPRO-Med and partnership with Montpellier University, O-LIFE, ECO-MED and the valuable financial support of the Base-building in the South Program of IRD. Dean Ramadan highlighted the interests and efforts of the Faculty of Science to develop professional MS degree programs that meet current Job market needs of Lebanon. This was followed by presenting the background, logical framework and phases of ENVIPRO-Med by Dr. Baydoun, and progress made by Dr. Khater and a roundtable discussion was then held thoroughly addressing all points of implementation and timeline. Meeting was ended with a plan of upcoming step.

Master in Architectural Engineering - Creative Sustainability, (M.Arch.)

https://www.bau.edu.lb/Architecture-Design-and-Built-Environment/Event/Master-in-Architectural-Engineering-Creative-Sustainability-M-Arch

Master in Architectural Engineering - Creative Sustainability, (M.Arch.)

One-Year Program (28 Credit hours)

Joint master’s degree program at the Faculty of Architectural Engineering in cooperation of Faculty of Business Administration and Faculty of Engineering.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants for the Master Degrees (M.Arch) must hold a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering Degree obtained from the Faculty of Architecture at Beirut Arab University or any recognized university, with a minimum CGPA of 2.33 for credit hour system students, or ''Good'' for the academic year system students; or a Specialized Graduate Diploma with a minimum CGPA of 2.33 or its equivalent.

For registration kindly contact the faculty administration.

Joint Master's Program in Environmental Management and Sustainability

https://www.bau.edu.lb/Research-Center-for-Environment-and-Development/Community-Engagement/Joint-Master-s-Program-in-Environmental-Management-and-Sustainability

The Faculty of Science and Research Center for Environment and Development-Bau Bekaa has received, on October 24th, 2019 the approval of the “Base-Building Projects for Training in the South” of the Institute of Research for Development (IRD), France to co-fund the project “International Post Graduate Studies in Environmental Management and Sustainability for Mediterranean Countries” (ENVIPRO-Med). This project is designed to develop a Joint Postgraduate Master's program between the Faculty of Science, Department of Biological Sciences at BAU and the Master “Ingénierie en Écologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité” (IEGB) of Montpellier University, France with partnership of the Environmental Observatory O-Life, Ministry of Environment of Lebanon and ECO-MED, France. It aims at improving environmental education and capacities of Lebanon and the region to address the severity and complexity of current environmental challenges. It focuses on overarching issues such as environmental sustainability, interdisciplinary aspects of ecosystem services and risk/benefit assessment with the integration of experiential learning opportunities. The project highly emphasizes cooperation with industry and employers, local authorities and both governmental and non-governmental institutions and organizations to enhance innovation potential and employability of graduates. It also addresses issues of transboundary concern in the Mediterranean Basin and build regional cooperation between Lebanon and France. The intended postgraduate program will be majorly new while benefiting of some existing graduate courses offered by MSc program in Environmental Science of the Faculty of Science and other courses of different departments at BAU. It will be composed of 3 phases: I) Knowledge sharing between partners and exchange of teaching and research practises and institutionalization strategies at the IEGB of Montpellier University and Faculty of Science of BAU; II) Curriculum development and capacity building of Lebanese team involved delivering the intended program through a systematic multi-disciplinary approach; III) Launching of the program at BAU after finalizing all needed administrative and institutional approvals.

BAU’s “Petroleum Engineering” and “Art & Design” Programs in Top Ranks in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023

https://www.bau.edu.lb/Public-Relations/News/BAU-s-Petroleum-Engineering-and-Art-and-Design-Programs-in-Top-Ranks-in-QS-World-University-Rankings-by-Subject-2023

Beirut Arab University secured top ranks in QS World University Rankings by Subject in the Year 2023. The Petroleum Engineering subject ranked in the #101-150 bracket among world Universities, while the “Art and Design” subject ranked in the #151-200 bracket. BAU also ranked second in Lebanon in both subjects, namely “Petroleum Engineering” and “Art and Design.”

The Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at BAU is the first engineering department in Lebanon that awards a BE in Petroleum Engineering, which is the practical application of the basic and physical sciences of mathematics, geology, physics, and chemistry and all of the engineering sciences to the discovery, development, production, and transportation of petroleum. BAU’s Petroleum Engineering program was established in the academic year 2013-2014 and continues to promote skilled engineers to the present day.

Beirut Arab University continuously strives to provide state-of-the-art education while taking into consideration contemporary issues and the needs of our community, and introducing highly qualified alumni and experts along the way.

Lecture entitled Sustainable Healthy Dietary Patterns as part of SDGs Courses

https://www.bau.edu.lb/Public-Relations/News/Lecture-entitled-Sustainable-Healthy-Dietary-Patterns-as-part-of-SDGs-Courses

The Faculty of Health Sciences at Beirut Arab University presented by Dr. Leila Itani, Assistant Professor at the Nutrition & Dietetics Department delivered a lecture on the 8th of April 2022 entitled "Sustainable Healthy Dietary Patterns". This participation was part of 8 modules offered through the educational activities of the series of SDGs Courses organized by the university of Pavia /Italy for Spring 2021-2022 (https://sites.google.com/unipv.it/unipv-sdgs-courses/nutrition).

The course aimed to provide knowledge on nutrition, lifestyle, and wellbeing, emphasizing a sustainable diet. In this respect, Dr. Itani presented in her talk the role of the food system and unhealthy dietary patterns in disrupting the resilience of the earth’s biophysical limits and transgressing their safe operating space contributing to climate change and loss of ecological resources.

Through the lecture, the definition and composition of the recently proposed healthy sustainable diet and evidence on its role in maintaining food system activities within the safe operating space of biophysical planetary boundaries was presented.

This diet is said to contribute to two global agendas for the food system namely the twelfth SDG by ensuring “responsible consumption” and “Paris agreement” to reduce climate change while ensuring a lower diet cost. Ultimately projection on the planetary healthy diet are shown to conserve people’s health and averting death and sustaining ecological resources, eventually ensuring achievement of the three dimensions of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental dimensions.

Erasmus+ MORALE at Beirut Arab University

https://www.bau.edu.lb/Public-Relations/News/Erasmusplus-MORALE-At-Beirut-Arab-University

Beirut Arab university hosted the Erasmus + MORALE conference entitled "Capacity building for curricula modernization of Syrian and Lebanese HEIs and lifelong learning provision”. It was held at BAU- Beirut Campus in the presence Dr. Ammar Houry, President of the Board of Trustees, and members of the academic and administrative staff, representatives of partner institutions, staff and volunteers of non-governmental organizations, and representatives from universities.
The conference aimed to gather academics, researchers, university students and NGO staff to disseminate the results of the MORALE project on:

• Qualifications required for the NGO labour market.
• Improved curricula and preparing and presenting relevant courses of lifelong education (LLL courses).
• Policies and recommendations on NGOs in Syria and Lebanon.
• Impact, achievements and sustainability of the MORALE project.

Opening speeches were given by: The president of Beirut Arab University Prof Amr ElAdawi, represented by Prof. Sobhi Abou Chahine, Dean of Student Affairs (BAU), Coordinator of MORALE project, Prof. Aref Al Soufi, Coordinator for the National Erasmus+ Office in Lebanon, Mrs. Orla Colclough Project Officer at the Delegation of the European Union -Lebanon and Dr. Mazen Al Khatib, Acting Director General of Higher Education in Lebanon.

The Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration at the Arab International University in Syria, Dr. Moaz Al Sherfawi, presented the proposal for recommendations to strengthen the higher education system (HE) in Lebanon and Syria with regard to NGO-related education.

The Project teams in Lebanon and Syria shared their experiences, discussing the developed courses, outcomes achieved and the overall impact of the MORALE Project in both countries. The Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of the at Lebanese University, Dr. Salim Makdesi highlighted Lebanon's progress, while Dr. Suleiman Mousselli from Damascus University provided insight into Syria's experience in the project.

The concluding conference developed a platform to assess and present the impact, achievements and sustainability of the MORALE project, and to facilitate discussions and future directions of long-term viability.

Webinar on How to introduce Radioactive Materials in the Lebanese Educational Curriculum

https://www.bau.edu.lb/Public-Relations/News/Webinar-on-How-to-introduce-Radioactive-Materials-in-the-Lebanese-Educational-Curriculum

The Faculty of Science at Beirut Arab University in cooperation with the “Lebanese Association of Physics Teachers” organized a webinar under the title of “Radioactivity in everyday Life”. It discussed how to introduce radioactive materials in the Lebanese educational curriculum. It also highlighted the importance of nuclear and radiological physics and how they are implemented to serve all the aspects of life.

A speech by Professor George Nahra President of the Center for Educational Research and Development opened the webinar where he pointed the necessity of scientific research methodologies to include all educational topics in order to build critical, investigative and deductive thought. In this case we can build the lifelong self-learner because the characteristic of the age is the constant change as a result of the accelerated scientific discoveries, its technological implementations and its economic and social impacts.

He added: “If we read the reality it makes us look forward to move from indoctrination to scientific research that implants basic values in our students that are taken for granted as the nature of science such as: team – cooperative – participatory work. We also look forward to change laboratory work from mere observation to experiments done by students following a ready plan or building an experiment plan according to their research perceptions and finally by working on activating evaluation the laboratory field.

Professor Ramadan Awad, Dean of the Faculty of Science at Beirut Arab University, praised the cooperation between the university and the Lebanese Association of Physics Teachers in Lebanon. He pointed to the great influence of radioactive materials in developing technology and industrial processes, their importance in studying the living organisms, diagnosing diseases and treating them. Professor Awad added wishing that participants would benefit and learn towards a better future for knowledge.

Professor Hassan Kamar who presented how to introduce radioactive materials in the Lebanese curriculum and Dr. Mohammad Salem Badawi who gave an extensive presentation on how to use these materials in various technological sectors participated in the webinar.

Then Dr. Zeinab El Sayed explained the uses of radioactive material in diagnosis. At the end, Mr. Nemer Naimeh provided a detailed explanation on how to produce the radioactive isotopes used in the medical sector.

It is worth mentioning that 150 concerned persons and specialists attended this webinar on Teams platform that was broadcasted on social media.

At the end, participants received certificates of participation.

Courses on Sustainability

Elective Courses

https://www.bau.edu.lb/BAUUpload/News-and-Events/Attachements/Students/Elective-Courses-Final-Exams-S-05242021142848.pdf

Remedial Courses

https://www.bau.edu.lb/Programs/Foundation-Remedial-Courses

RESEARCH CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

https://www.bau.edu.lb/Center/Research-Center-for-Environment-and-Development

The Research Center for Environment and Development (RCED) was established to perform research using interdisciplinary approaches on matters related to natural resources and sustainable development.

The RCED is a team of BAU researchers and students.

The Center is directed by Dr. Safaa Baydoun and a Managing Board of experts and consultants headed by the University President.

VISION

The RCED strives to play a leadership role in sustainable development through ecosystem approaches to protect the environment, conserve biodiversity, and improve community livelihood by sustainable use of natural resources.

MISSION

Our aim is to understand the various threats and challenges of ecosystems and natural resources and recommend appropriate management approaches. The RCED focuses on fostering the participation and engagement of community members through integrated research strategies that go beyond the scientific laboratory research framework to involve the environmental and socioeconomic aspects of sustainable development.

Objectives

• Conduct applied research to protect and conserve natural resources towards sustainable use and community development
• Provide applied research internships for undergraduate and graduate students
• Stimulate participation in national and international cooperation programs and interdisciplinary collaborative research networking
• Establish community outreach programs and engagement activities
• Establish capacity building activities
• Enhance community environmental awareness

Interests

• Water and soil quality assessment and monitoring
• Flora biodiversity and conservation
• Economic empowerment of women
• Energy efficiency and renewable energy
• Environmental Awareness and educational programs

CLUSTER FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

https://www.bau.edu.lb/SDG9/Innovation-hub

2.1 ESTABLISHED STARTUPS

The first start-up launched in 2019 by our program is INFRASTIC. INFRASTIC is a concrete block mix, a new construction technology developed by a team of three students from Beirut Arab University.

The team has participated and won several regional and international programs such as UN’s YLP 5. They traveled to participate in the Amman Youth Conference, in November 2019. They also enrolled in the MIT Arab Entrepreneurship Competition and won the first place in the ideation track and 5000$ in grant money. INFRASTIC also won the Development de L'Entrepreneuriat Etudiant au Liban (DEEL) competition organized by AUF. Currently, they are in the first batch of Clean Energy Berytech Program, receiving 2000$ in grant money, with the aim of validating their assumptions and the design. In August 2020, and with the support of BAU’s legal department, INFRASTIC was awarded their first patent by the Lebanese Chamber of Commerce.

During the whole process, of testing, validating, and reporting back, the University offers its lab facilities, and engages its academic staff as the participants’ mentors and advisors. The faculties involved in mentoring are currently the Faculty of Architecture – Design and Built Environment, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Sciences and the Faculty of Business Administration.

Figure 1: INFRASTIC's achievements

Two other BAU students have been lately admitted to the program. Both projects have partners from other leading Lebanese universities such as the American University of Beirut. The projects entitled ECRO and Snoubra are in their early creation stage moving towards the early incubation stage. Both are led by brilliant female researchers who are keen on leading in the industry.

ECRO, which joined the program in July 2020, focuses on using stone waste as raw materials to produce roof tiles. ECRO is an ecofriendly provider of affordable and customized industrial designs and construction appliances made of crushed stones. Their aim is not only to reduce the usage cement and other harmful materials used in industrial designs and construction but also to promote sustainability by using the stone leftovers from rock factories so that they are not disposed in landfills and drainage systems, which would harm nature. ECRO has been shortlisted in the UN’s YLP6 and has been offered a grant of $2000 by INJAZ.

Figure 2: ECRO's prototypes

Snoubra joined the program early September 2020. They are also taking part in the YLP6 program and are in the process of establishing their start-up. The team is working on creating sustainable building envelops from bioplastics, a prominent and highly-needed research in our community. It is a bio-based plastic made from pinene; chemical product found in pinecone powder. Snoubra relies on research and development for implementation in different disciplines. It aims to reduce waste in the construction sector and non-biodegradable waste in the environment, by introducing a 100% sustainable form of plastic as a main component in the building envelope services. Aligned with the UNDP adopted sustainable development goals according to Agenda 2030, Snoubra tends to also adopt at least 6 SDGs.