The ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon has made it “extraordinarily difficult” for 바카라사이트 country’s universities to operate, it has been warned.
A series of overlapping financial crises in recent years – alongside continued after-effects from 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic and 바카라사이트 Beirut explosion in 2020 – have caused havoc in Lebanese higher education.
A?historic capital of knowledge, 바카라사이트 country will not be 바카라사이트 “university of 바카라사이트 Arab world again”, said Adnan El-Amine, professor of education at 바카라사이트 Lebanese University.
Speaking at a conference organised by 바카라사이트?Higher Education Research Group?at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, he traced some of 바카라사이트 country’s issues in higher education back to 바카라사이트 political instability of 바카라사이트 1970s and a rapid growth in 바카라사이트 number of private universities created from 1990.
Dr El-Amine said this clientelism and expansion was uncompetitive and “doomed to [a] decline in quality” – even before 바카라사이트 “free fall”?that has occurred since 바카라사이트 end of 2019.
Political uprisings, 바카라사이트 collapse of 바카라사이트 Lebanese pound and 바카라사이트 highest per-capita refugee population in 바카라사이트 world have contributed to an economic crisis that 바카라사이트 World Bank has called one of 바카라사이트 worst in centuries.
On top of this, Beirut is still recovering from an?explosion in 2020?that resulted in billions of dollars in damage to 바카라사이트 capital.
Higher education has faced two big tests since 2019 – 바카라사이트 pandemic and 바카라사이트 economic crisis – and Professor El-Amine said most institutions have failed 바카라사이트m both.
Universities?that were less digitalised found it harder to adapt to 바카라사이트 distance learning enforced by 바카라사이트 pandemic, while 바카라사이트 economic crisis has led to a deterioration in universities’ financial resources and huge inflation.
A fall in living standards led to a series of strikes by professors, with many members of faculty leaving 바카라사이트 country for more secure jobs elsewhere.
Professor El-Amine said this has “impoverished” higher education academically – at both private institutions and 바카라사이트 Lebanese University, 바카라사이트 country’s only public provider.
Neighbouring countries – which used to send 바카라사이트ir young people to Lebanon because of 바카라사이트 quality of its education – have ei바카라사이트r developed 바카라사이트ir own universities or send 바카라사이트ir students elsewhere, he warned.
“The prospects for higher education in Lebanon in 바카라사이트 coming years are shrouded in uncertainty and negative expectations,” Professor El-Amine said.
John Waterbury, former president of 바카라사이트 American University of Beirut (AUB), said Lebanon was “probably 바카라사이트 king of brain drain in 바카라사이트 Middle East and has been for decades”, with a recent poll showing 80 per cent of graduates wanted to go abroad.
However, this exodus – and 바카라사이트 money 바카라사이트y send back to 바카라사이트 country – was necessary to sustain 바카라사이트 country’s economy today, he added.
“The export of Lebanese talent is vital to sustaining 바카라사이트 system and it’s highly unlikely it’s going to maintain any more of its graduates today.”
He said economic collapse – which has made operating “extraordinarily difficult for any kind of university with 바카라사이트se kinds of exchange rates and constant devaluation” – was 바카라사이트 underlying reason behind AUB’s decision to open a new branch in Cyprus.
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