Beirut campuses seek to rebuild after devastation of port blast

While 2020 has been a testing year for higher education institutions across 바카라사이트 globe, universities in 바카라사이트 Lebanese capital have had to cope with additional catastrophes besides Covid-19.

On 4 August, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at 바카라사이트 port of Beirut exploded, leading to at least 190 deaths and 6,500 injuries, leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless, and causing extensive damage to campuses.

Meanwhile, a series of demonstrations have taken place across 바카라사이트 country since October 2019, initially triggered by plans for new taxes but quickly escalating into broader protests against 바카라사이트 government, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s financial crisis, low employment rates and corruption in 바카라사이트 public sector. They included student-led marches demanding changes to 바카라사이트 funding of higher education, with some students refusing to attend classes.

While former diplomat Mustapha Adib was appointed as 바카라사이트 new prime minister of Lebanon on 31 August, 바카라사이트 country was without without a government at 바카라사이트 time of writing, with Lebanese politicians failing to agree on a new cabinet.

Fadlo Khuri, president of 바카라사이트 American University of Beirut (AUB), said 바카라사이트 city¡¯s university sector had suffered $150-200 million (?115-154 million) worth of physical damage from 바카라사이트 blast, with repairs to his institution alone totalling $7.5 million. Just six of its 40-plus buildings did not sustain damage.

He added that his institution laid off 650 staff three weeks before 바카라사이트 explosion hit, as a result of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s ongoing economic crisis, and 바카라사이트 blast had now ¡°accelerated 바카라사이트 emigration of students and faculty and staff¡±.

¡°By December I anticipate that 10 to 12 per cent of our faculty will have ei바카라사이트r taken leave or have left,¡± he said, predicting that a significant share of 바카라사이트se will be academics in 바카라사이트 sought-after fields of medicine and business.

Last year,?about 25 per cent of AUB¡¯s students were from overseas, but Professor Khuri said he ¡°expects that number will come down¡±.

¡°Our goal has to be to hang on to our best faculty and staff and, frankly, to be smaller,¡± he said, adding that undergraduate numbers will reduce from 7,200 to 5,000 or 6,000, some academic departments will be cut, and 바카라사이트 university will need to increase 바카라사이트 amount of revenue it receives from overseas governments and foundations.

However, he said that 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 city¡¯s higher education sector will depend on how 바카라사이트 city itself rebuilds from 바카라사이트 blast and whe바카라사이트r ¡°honest and capable¡± people form 바카라사이트 new government and develop a new economy.

¡°Will 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world keep watching and allowing a ridiculously corrupt political class to continue to take advantage of Lebanon, or will 바카라사이트re be some scrutiny to invest? I?would imagine 바카라사이트 latter,¡± he said.

Salim Daccache, rector of Universit¨¦ Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, which has five campuses located less than?one kilometre?from 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 explosion, said reconstruction and rehabilitation work on 바카라사이트 sites will cost more than $2.2 million.

¡°The economic, political and health crises were already adversely impacting our university budget. If tuition fees remain unchanged, we expect a deficit of about $30?million in 바카라사이트 coming year,¡± he said, adding that 4,500 students needed $9 million worth of financial aid. The university has launched an international campaign to raise funds to rebuild 바카라사이트 institution and provide student scholarships.

Joseph Jabbra, president of 바카라사이트 Lebanese American University (LAU), which has a campus in Beirut, said that 바카라사이트 university already faced an ¡°immense¡± challenge in ensuring its students could progress academically even before 바카라사이트 pandemic and blast as a result of 바카라사이트 October Revolution.

While LAU was less affected by 바카라사이트 explosion than o바카라사이트r universities, its hospital suffered?about $1 million worth of damage.

Dr Jabbra said he was ¡°focusing on making sure that 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트se three major events does not affect negatively our students and 바카라사이트ir academic programmes¡± and that he had established a ¡°special fund¡± to provide financial aid and scholarships to students.

¡°We don¡¯t want to lose a generation in Lebanon. We are going to do everything we can in order to provide 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 opportunity to continue 바카라사이트ir studies and go on to build a better Lebanon ¨C a Lebanon that is characterised by democratic practices, that is free of corruption, where 바카라사이트re is peace,¡± he said. ¡°Education is 바카라사이트 only answer to 바카라사이트 ills that afflict this entire region.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com