On May 26, 2026, LAU President Chaouki T. Abdallah and Lebanese University (LU) President Bassam Badran signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding that sets the tone for future cooperation in the fields of innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.

The partnership encompasses collaboration on innovation and pilot projects; technology transfer and technological innovation; incubation, acceleration, and mentorship of students with ideas for startups; development projects, applied research, and academic and student exchanges; as well as joint workshops, seminars, conferences, and training programs.

Attended by vice presidents, deans, and directors of institutes from both universities, the signing ceremony marked the beginning of a long-term partnership that lays the groundwork for wider integration among Lebanese universities, as highlighted in Dr. Badran’s address.

“This collaboration,” he said, “would place Lebanon among the nations that invest in their youth and build their future on the foundations of science and innovation.”

“It reflects the will of our academic institutions to be a driving force for national development, a vital laboratory for ideas, and a platform for generating knowledge that translates into tangible projects,” added Dr. Badran.

Referring to the Lebanese University as a “strategic national reservoir of talent, ambition, resilience and intellectual potential,” Dr. Abdallah said that its integration into the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in Lebanon “is extremely important and constitutes a real turning point.”

The partnership brings together shared academic priorities and a unified commitment to serving Lebanese students through effective and purposeful collaboration, he added. “It reflects a belief that universities should work as partners and strive to expand opportunities, strengthen the national knowledge economy, and help Lebanon navigate an increasingly complex world,” he said.

Through LAU Engine, the university’s innovation and entrepreneurship platform, and powered by the Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center, this strategic alliance will provide young innovators with access to mentorship, guidance, training, and networking opportunities. They will also gain exposure to applied research, developmental projects, and exchange programs in their fields.

“This partnership is about creating a stronger national innovation ecosystem where students, researchers, and aspiring entrepreneurs can access the support needed to transform their ideas into ventures, technologies, and opportunities for Lebanon,” said Director of LAU Engine Evan Fakhoury.

Amid a harsh reality of growing national challenges, “universities in Lebanon can become pillars of stability, incubators of hope, and engines of renewal. It is in this spirit that we entered this partnership with the Lebanese University,” said Dr. Abdallah.