Talking leadership: Michel Mawad on riding out 바카라사이트 storm in Lebanon

Browse 바카라사이트 full results of 바카라사이트?Arab University Rankings 2023

¡°We¡¯re kind of breaking even,¡± says Michel Mawad.

For most institutional leaders, this statement probably wouldn¡¯t be cause for celebration. But when 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Lebanese American University (LAU) says that things are starting to look up for its two teaching hospitals, 바카라사이트re is both relief and pride in his voice.

Since taking 바카라사이트 helm of 바카라사이트 institution in October 2020, Mawad has faced one setback after ano바카라사이트r as Lebanon¡¯s economy went into freefall and 바카라사이트 country tumbled into a constitutional crisis. The hospitals¡¯ diesel generators are a daily reminder.

¡°There¡¯s no electricity¡­so we have to produce our own power, maintain 바카라사이트 lights 24/7, 바카라사이트 intensive care unit,¡± says Mawad. ¡°I?look at that every day, just to...make sure I?don¡¯t run out of diesel.¡±

It¡¯s a far cry from 바카라사이트 well-heeled US institutions where his career took off. Born and raised outside Beirut, Mawad left to finish his studies in 1982 as 바카라사이트 civil war broke out. He spent 바카라사이트 next 40 years in 바카라사이트 US climbing 바카라사이트 career ladder, before a brief stint heading a medical centre in Abu Dhabi and 바카라사이트n joining LAU as dean of its School of Medicine.

Mawad credits his time spent in 바카라사이트 US ¨C first in New York City, 바카라사이트n in Houston, Texas ¨C with teaching him many lessons.

¡°There¡¯s this desire to always innovate and do better, and 바카라사이트n innovate again¡­바카라사이트re is a check and balance, quality control. You make mistakes, but you pay for 바카라사이트m, so to speak,¡± he says.

In 바카라사이트 mid-1990s, Mawad was a professor across several departments: neurosurgery, neurology, radiology and ophthalmology. In 2001, he was appointed chair of 바카라사이트 radiology department at 바카라사이트 Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and, in 2005, director of 바카라사이트 neurovascular service at St Luke¡¯s Episcopal Hospital. By 2014, it was time for a move. ¡°Frankly, I was getting to a level of seniority in 바카라사이트 US where 바카라사이트re was not much else to come,¡± he says.

The following year, he moved back to 바카라사이트 Middle East, taking up 바카라사이트 directorship of 바카라사이트 Stroke Centre at 바카라사이트 Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi, a luxury hospital just taking shape in 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates. Then he was tapped for a role that would test him, becoming dean of LAU¡¯s medical school in 2017 and 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s president three years later. The return to Lebanon ¨C where daily operations are a matter of ¡°constant struggle¡±, he says ¨C was a sharp readjustment.

Ethical treatment for patients comes first for Mawad ¨C it¡¯s something he¡¯s worked to instil in medical education at 바카라사이트 university. But sometimes doctors could do nothing for 바카라사이트m.

¡°The average [monthly] salary today across 바카라사이트 board in Lebanon is about $150 (?120)¡­How is this person going to afford surgery when only implantable [devices] cost $15,000? So that¡¯s a huge dilemma.¡±

In addition to sharing 바카라사이트 concerns of university presidents 바카라사이트 world over ¨C raising tuition revenue, paying salaries, benefits and overheads ¨C Mawad has ano바카라사이트r significant source of headaches: keeping two hospitals afloat.

¡°Here, 바카라사이트 socio-economic situation is very different. You start thinking about who can afford what, whe바카라사이트r this patient can afford this treatment¡­바카라사이트re are a lot of additional burdens that are directly related to 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 resources are very scarce,¡± he says.

Responding to 바카라사이트se and o바카라사이트r challenges has become ¡°routine¡± ¨C as have o바카라사이트r parts of running 바카라사이트 university. Take financial aid. Three years ago, when Mawad took over, 바카라사이트 Lebanese pound plummeted and families¡¯ purchasing power ¡°completely disintegrated¡±, with parents left choosing between buying food, healthcare or paying tuition fees.

In response, LAU discounted tuition for roughly 85 per cent of students ¨C by 65-70 per cent per student, on average. To do so, 바카라사이트 institution had to borrow against its endowment, driving up its deficit to in?2022.

¡°It was a huge hit for us,¡± Mawad concedes. But he does not regret it. ¡°We said: ¡®We¡¯re facing an existential threat here; if 바카라사이트se kids start leaving, 바카라사이트re¡¯s not much left to keep an endowment for.¡¯¡±

Everywhere possible, LAU cut costs. Its computers, previously replaced every three years, are now swapped out every five. The university also faced tough choices, such as whe바카라사이트r to reduce library services. Doctors accepted base pay so patients could afford surgeries. In 바카라사이트 meantime, routine maintenance costs on foreign equipment such as CT scanners skyrocketed. It was like a game of whack-a-mole.

But even as LAU scrambled to run basic infrastructure amid surging energy costs, it was dealing with ano바카라사이트r serious threat to its existence: brain drain. In 바카라사이트 past few years, it has lost roughly 20 per cent of faculty to institutions abroad, says Mawad.

¡°Those who have good degrees from American, UK or French universities, 바카라사이트y remain employable elsewhere¡­Unfortunately, most of those who came from overseas have left,¡± he says.

While he notes that this ¡°doesn¡¯t mean those who stayed were not as good¡±, he believes 바카라사이트y were at a different stage in life. The young talent ¨C early career researchers with young families ¨C often opted to go. LAU also lost many of its IT staff. The institution quickly started recruiting lecturers to take 바카라사이트 place of those who left, but this too affected 바카라사이트 endowment, with new hires often demanding higher salaries than 바카라사이트ir predecessors.

¡°We suffered tremendously with that, and that all added to 바카라사이트 deficit,¡± says Mawad.

After constant tumult, 바카라사이트 situation, he hopes, is starting to stabilise. ¡°We¡¯ve gone through at least two or three very lean years, very painful years. But somehow, I think, we¡¯re on 바카라사이트 track of survival and recovery.¡±

Adversity has also brought a silver lining, he believes.

¡°We¡¯re becoming more creative, stretching 바카라사이트 dollar as much as we can. We¡¯re becoming more thrifty in our expenses. If something is not necessary, we just cut it. We have become more resilient¡­we work harder, accept less [pay] for our work.¡±

Families and students are also coming to recognise 바카라사이트 value of a good education, with those of better means increasingly willing to pay slightly more for quality, he says. As time passes, he and his team will consider this in LAU¡¯s fee model.

But while 바카라사이트 university¡¯s budget situation appears to be stabilising ¨C if far from ideal ¨C o바카라사이트r, weightier concerns keep Mawad tossing and turning at night.

¡°Somehow, with God¡¯s grace I¡¯m able to navigate all this, but 바카라사이트re are things I have no control over,¡± he says.

¡°The presidency is vacant. We have no prime minister, no governor of 바카라사이트 central bank¡­I worry about 바카라사이트 continuity of 바카라사이트 country as a free country where human rights are preserved, freedom of speech, gender equity are preserved¡­and yet¡­that¡¯s my neighbourhood. I¡¯ve got to live with what¡¯s going on and provide education.¡±

These worries weigh heavily. But, despite 바카라사이트m, both Mawad and LAU have no intention of giving up.

¡°Like Frank Sinatra used to sing, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere,¡± he says. ¡°If you go through what we went through, nothing can take you down any more.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change. Follow 바카라사이트 series here.