LAU has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Municipality of Ghalboun in the Byblos district to collaborate on experiential education, community service, innovation, and leadership training. The agreement will support the municipality’s development and capacity-building efforts in line with local community needs, while creating opportunities for LAU faculty and students to engage with and contribute meaningfully to community initiatives.

Welcoming the delegation from Ghalboun—Mayor Elie Gebrayel and his wife Randa Faddoul Gebrayel, as well as Vice Mayor Rita Chalhoub Bassil—LAU President Chaouki T. Abdallah described the village as a “forward-looking town that can become a model for other Lebanese villages, especially in terms of development aspirations and creating pathways for encouraging young people to remain connected to their home.”

Inviting attendees to visit Ghalboun, Mr. Gebrayel noted how the municipal initiatives have been on an upward trajectory since 2010, “transforming the small town from an eco-village to an online-enabled village, then a smart village, and today we can say it is home for digital nomads. Most recently, we launched a virtual platform for all people originally from Ghalboun to reconnect no matter where they reside around the world.”

Under the MOU, LAU and the municipality will work together to encourage students to participate in training and capacity-building programs. Through the LAU Academy of Continuing Education (LAU ACE), the university will offer training programs according to the municipality’s specific needs and selection of programs relevant to the local community.

The partnership will also extend to innovation and entrepreneurship. Through LAU Engine, powered by the Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center, the university will provide advisory and technical support for municipal innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives. This may include supporting the establishment, development, and operation of business incubators within the municipality, in areas to be jointly agreed upon.

The MOU further provides a framework for academic and institutional cooperation, creating opportunities for LAU’s expertise and resources to contribute to Ghalboun’s development priorities while strengthening the university’s engagement with local communities.