Perform assessment that would allow all those interested, mainly donor agencies, to be informed about the labor needs of the local market. This goes hand in hand with the strengthening the Central Administration for Statistics and the role of the Ministry of Labor. It also engages the governmental institutions in such planning, holding it accountable to assume the role of regulator and planner.

Besides, the private sector, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, the General Workers’ Union and all  syndicates… should play an active role in considering their future needs which contribute to the regulation of the labor market.

Initiate the formation of a higher council for donor institutions and their graduates that aims to activate coordination, draws future policies which contribute to the regulation of higher education, in accordance with the needs of the country.

Donations offered by donor institutions should be educational scholarships aimed at strengthening the student’s sense of responsibility, while keeping him/her away from reliance on others and making him/her more accountable.

Fostering the sense of belonging to the university and to the nation will stand against external temptations and will put an end to the brain drain and immigration of professionals.

The academic competition with private universities is essential and healthy; however, students should be mainly guided to join a well-maintained national Lebanese university which should be strengthened by offering scholarships that help conduct further scientific research and update programs. This requires serious and strenuous efforts to support the Lebanese University which represents the main largest resource of human potential.

Coordination and cooperation are necessary among higher education and donor institutions by linking them to the labor market needs which constitute an indicator and not an obligation to make a special orientation in future specializations.

The role of the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education is essential to find ways for the serious and active control of teaching methods in universities.

Vocational education and its relation with donor institutions should be considered from a three-pronged perspective involving the State, production institutions and donor institutions, with a strong coordination between vocational schools and industrial facilities. Besides, students should be well oriented, qualified trainers should be ensured, training hours should be

increased and parents should be urged to encourage their children to have access to this field.

Create vocational centers to raise the awareness of students about the actual situation and future trends.

Walid Joumblatt Foundation for University Studies - Wata Musseitbeh - P.O.Box: 11-2893 Beirut Lebanon - Telfax: 961 1 301231 - 961 1 303455 - E-mail: wjfoundation@cyberia.net.lb **** WJF - Walid Joumblatt Foundation - Account 0003-218450-060 - BBAC - Unesco Branch - P.O.Box: 11-1536 Beirut Lebanon - Swift Code: BBAC LBBXStrengthen the role of donor institutions to foster the vocational and technical sector by analyzing studies related to the labor market and production, in the framework of modern and integrated practical curricula.

The State, production sectors and labor unions should seriously try to classify professions in Lebanon, and ensure the fair acknowledgement of technical and vocational degrees, thereby fostering and promoting them according to young people’s requirements.

• HE Mrs. Bahia Hariri

• Dr. Mustapha Zaatari, Hariri Foundation

• Dr. Antoine Habib, Fares Foundation

• Dr. Osmat Kalash, Saeb Salam Foundation for Culture and High Education

• Charif fayad, WJF Secretary General

• HE Michel Edde, Minister of Culture and High Education

• HE Mr. Ghassan Tueini

• HE Dr. Assad Diab, Lebanese University

• HE Hassan Ezzedine, Minister of Occupational and Technical Education

• Mr. Imad Baydoun, Islamic Foundation Amiliyia

• Dr. Issam Jawhary, Faculty of Education – Lebanese University

Click on the picture to enlarge

The first conference of the WJF was organized based on the following:

A fundamental belief that the human being is the corner stone in all our cultural, educational and social orientations.

An attempt to promote the role of the Walid Joumblatt Foundation for University Studies,

Assume a basic role in the national educational plan and the aim towards reaching social equity and unity,

Strengthening the overall educational process that looks into developing the human being and the nation,

The presence of a number of interested educational, financial and youth organizations raised the hopes that the outcomes of the conference would shed the light on important strategic directions that would help initiate coordination and dialogue among all concerned in both the private as well as the public sector.

The actual imbalance between supply and demand in the employment market is attributed to the absence of educational planning. This lack of planning is mostly due to the unstable and ever changing conditions of Lebanon and the surrounding Arab countries. As a result, the different stakeholders found it necessary to undertake the following:

“This academic and educational gathering, organized by Walid Joumblatt Foundation for University Studies, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Displaced and the UN Program to support the Return of the Displaced, will make an efficient contribution to the current attempts of official and civil bodies aimed at readdressing the concept of university orientation. In fact, the fight for sustainable development is an ongoing battle which requires further serious work to ensure a better future to our students, employees and coming generations, and to build a prosperous and developed socioeconomic future which keeps pace with academic and technical developments, and faces the increasing economic challenges.

Therefore, from Baakline, I undertake that I shall continue the large national reconciliation, crowned with Al-Mukhtara meeting between Walid Joumblatt and Cardinal Sfeir, so that reconciliation covers every parcel of Lebanon and gives way to practical programs which will protect reconciliation with basic economic tools and components…”

…”The objective of this university educational gathering is to introduce labor opportunities available on the local market, in addition to university and vocational majors, and encourage you to pursue your studies, since the Foundation agrees with the UN Program that education expresses the right for knowledge, which is considered as a basic humanitarian right. Education also expresses the need for education as an economic and social necessity for poor people and society at large.”

“Our efforts to promote Lebanon’s development will be futile if we do not engage our institutions in the human development process, and if the programs of such institutions are not reviewed to provide production institutions and development sectors with highly-skilled human resources, and if we do not steer our Arab society in general and our Lebanese society in particular, towards the knowledge economy…

I would like to note here some conclusions based on the surveys mentioned in the Report on Human Development in Lebanon, in order to assist in drawing a comprehensive development plan for Lebanon:

The internet penetration rate in Lebanon is still low,

Lebanon has the lowest illiteracy rate in the region, but the remainder illiterate people represent a heavy burden,

The number of students in the higher education sector is the highest in the Arab world,

Higher education should be diversified and raised,

Scientific research is still limited. Thus, a national strategy for scientific research and development should be developed and financed,