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For the Second Year Running: LAU AKSOB’s Business and Economics First in Lebanon

New Times Higher Education Subject Rankings and QS Arab University Rankings reaffirm the university’s leading position in Lebanon and the region.

By Raissa Batakji

For the second year in a row, LAU’s AKSOB placed at No. 1 in Lebanon thanks to its rigorous programs in business management, accounting, finance and economics.
Dr. Mawad was invited to participate in the opening panel discussion with presidents of higher education institutions in the region at the QS Conclave in Dubai.
Dr. Mawad and Assistant to the President for Institutional Research & Assessment Diane Nauffal receive the trophy for the ranking at the ceremony held in Dubai.

LAU has maintained two solid positions for 2022 in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject: Business and Economics and the QS Arab Region University Rankings.

For the second year in a row, LAU’s Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB) placed at No. 1 in Lebanon thanks to its rigorous programs in business management, accounting, finance and economics, which are all factored into the ranking methodology. The school also ranked No. 4 in the Arab region, a considerable feat that demonstrates its wide-reaching positioning in the area.

LAU President Michel E. Mawad congratulated AKSOB and the entire LAU community, for “embodying a rare spirit of excellence at a time of mere survival, with cutting-edge research and continuous improvement of our programs to meet real-world, pressing job market demands.”

The result was driven by high scores on two of the factors that determine the overall rank: Citations – which testifies to AKSOB’s research influence – and International Outlook.

AKSOB Dean Wassim Shahin emphasized that being ranked first for two consecutive years is a very significant sign of structural strength and hopefully sustainable position for the future. Earning the fourth spot in the Arab world in a group of much higher capital-endowed universities places the school in a very select league of elite institutions.

“I extend my warmest congratulations to the school’s faculty, staff, students and alumni who were all instrumental in reaching this milestone,” he said. “My gratitude to them has no expiry date.”   

The university also maintained its second rank in Lebanon, according to QS, and the 17th in the Arab World. It scored particularly high on Employer Reputation, Citations Per Paper, and Web Impact, which are indicative of both graduates’ job readiness as well as the high caliber and relevance of research produced by the university.

Referring to citations as the measure of the university’s influence in knowledge transfer, Provost George E. Nasr congratulated AKSOB on their achievement and the LAU community for this well-earned recognition, especially following LAU’s solid performance – No. 1 in Teaching in Lebanon – according to the recent THE World University Rankings 2022.

“AKSOB’s ranking two years in a row are a confirmation of the strength of its leadership and its faculty. It is upon us to persevere in expanding our intellectual capital and innovative pedagogy, especially in the face of raging challenges,” he said.