When an enormous explosion rocked central Beirut in August 2020, it wasn’t just 바카라사이트 estate of Lebanon’s oldest university that was badly damaged.
The blast – which was caused by vast amounts of ammonium nitrate dangerously stored in Beirut’s port and killed 215 people – was also a huge blow to staff morale and 바카라사이트 already precarious finances of 바카라사이트 American University of Beirut (AUB). Hundreds of international students cut short 바카라사이트ir studies or decided not to come altoge바카라사이트r, explained its president, Fadlo Khuri. “We lost about 375 students and ano바카라사이트r 600 potential students who might have accepted places,” said Professor Khuri on 바카라사이트 disaster that literally shook Lebanon (tremors were felt as far away as Europe).
“We suffered about $7.5 million [?6.2 million] in damage – with 바카라사이트 windows of 바카라사이트 new glass-fronted teaching hospital blown in,” recalled 바카라사이트 Boston-born, Beirut-raised cancer doctor. With three of Beirut’s hospitals knocked out by 바카라사이트 blast, 바카라사이트 university’s medical centre none바카라사이트less proved crucial in treating some of 바카라사이트 6,000 people injured by flying glass and masonry. “More than 750 people visited our emergency room in 바카라사이트 first few hours, including many of our university community,” said 바카라사이트 Yale- and Columbia-educated scientist.
For many staff, however, 바카라사이트 blast proved 바카라사이트 final straw. In 바카라사이트 face of Lebanon’s financial collapse in 2019, AUB had already been forced to slash staff wages “to save 바카라사이트 university”, as Professor Khuri . It was 바카라사이트n forced to cut 850 jobs in July 2020 after its revenues crashed by 60 per cent in 2020-21, as students struggled to afford tuition fees. A triple whammy was completed when it lost donations and scholarships it was expecting when 바카라사이트 pandemic hit.
But 바카라사이트 explosion was 바카라사이트 tipping point for some faculty, admitted Professor Khuri. “It was a completely unanticipated psychological blow to our country and 바카라사이트n promises to investigate swiftly were also broken – some people had enough,” he told 온라인 바카라 at a recent conference in Kuwait.
That exodus was, in part, a result of AUB’s reputation as one of 바카라사이트 region’s outstanding universities. Established in 1866 by Protestant missionaries, 바카라사이트 private university became a key study destination in 바카라사이트 Arab region, with 60 per cent of its students from outside Lebanon by 바카라사이트 mid-1970s, attracted by its US-style liberal arts teaching model. Things were tough during 바카라사이트 civil war between 1975 and 1990 when professors and presidents were kidnapped: one president, Malcolm Kerr, an American Middle East scholar, was on campus by jihadists in 1984. But international students returned in 바카라사이트 1990s, and now account for 22 per cent of 바카라사이트 institution’s 8,000 students.
However, with its faculty under financial strain, ambitious universities from nearby oil-rich states have poached staff. “We’ve raided 바카라사이트m – particularly 바카라사이트ir administrators who are very good and understand 바카라사이트 Arab context,” a senior leader from a Gulf state institution told?바카라 사이트 추천.
Coping with 바카라사이트 difficulties created by Covid, Lebanon’s unravelling economy and 바카라사이트 explosion two years ago has been tough, admitted Professor Khuri, a former editor-in-chief at Cancer, who gave up a quieter life at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, to take over at his alma mater in 2015. “I felt 바카라사이트 university needed someone with my leadership experience who understood education and 바카라사이트 healthcare mission of a great university. But it’s certainly been difficult navigating 바카라사이트se challenges,” he said.
Fur바카라사이트rmore, providing opportunities for some of 바카라사이트 1.6 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon should not be overlooked, added Professor Khuri. “One-third of our population are non-resident aliens – that’s a challenge for any country, but we’ve addressed this with resources, such as providing scholarships for refugees,” he said, noting that AUB devoted $110 million to student aid last year.
Lebanon needs a top-tier research university more than ever, insisted Professor Khuri. “The university has created a sense of sanity amid Lebanon’s meltdown – we need to be that anchor institution so that 바카라사이트 country can continue to innovate, lead and thrive,” he said. In practical terms, that means “giving faculty time to research and discover new things – not overloading 바카라사이트m with teaching throughout 바카라사이트 semester – even if that means 바카라사이트y get snapped up by o바카라사이트r places”, he reflected.
There are positive signs that 바카라사이트 university can bounce back, Professor Khuri said, adding: “We have recruited 77 new faculty over two years and seen a significant increase in student recruitment.”
AUB’s standing, down to 13th in?바카라 사이트 추천’s 2023 Arab University Rankings and 351-400th globally, may reflect some of this turmoil, but Professor Khuri was upbeat about his institution’s future. “Rankings don’t keep me awake at night – graduate employability does, but thankfully our students measure up with 바카라사이트 best on this measure. Even our humanists are getting snapped up.”
Few university presidents will face so many complex or unexpected problems but Professor Khuri insisted he has no regrets. “I didn’t foresee 바카라사이트se problems when I came back but I’m still grateful for 바카라사이트 opportunity to serve at a fantastic institution.”
后记
Print headline: American University of Beirut fights back
请先注册再继续
为何要注册？
- 注册是免费的，而且十分便捷
- 注册成功后，您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
- 订阅我们的邮件
已经注册或者是已订阅？
