Future of Engineering Education in Lebanon

Ahmad JAMMAL

Director General of Higher Education – Lebanon

The 10th Worls congress on Enghineering Education

Outlines

Global situation

Situation in Lebanon

Engineering Education System in Lebanon

Managing Engineering Education

New regulations• New Higher Education Law• Towards Lebanese Quality Assurance System

Other Proposals: • Accreditation of Engineering programs • Colloquium in Engineering

Conclusions

Global Situation

Higher education has to develop in order to meet the challenges of the Globalisation and the inclusive growth sought in many countries.

Developing Engineering education is in the frontline in responding to these challenges.

Main challenges to be faced by the Engineering education:- to develop an integrated educational system that offers engineers a comparative

and competitive advantage in a globalized and privatized market.- to change the patterns of thinking and learning in the philosophy of education in

terms of creativity, learning theory, curriculum and technology education control. In addition:The rapid growth of technology helps in the dissemination of knowledge, and made information and data at hand, and that had a significant impact on the engineering profession during this century.The increased mobility in the workplace is generating pressure to expand competencies beyond countries. Hence, internationalisation and international competencies have to be taken into consideration in any design or conception of new curricula or programmes.

Engineering Education in Lebanon

The Engineering Profession in Lebanon is regulated by the law number 636/97. It is necessary to be a member in the Order of Engineers in Lebanon to practice.

The number of institutions that offer engineering programmes have increased from 7 before the year 1995 to 17 currently.

The number of students in various engineering disciplines in the year 2014 is approximately 25000 students

Different systems are applied in Engineering studies in Lebanon: 5-year study (LU, AUB, BAU, …), 3-year Bachelor + 2-year Master (UOB, RHU, …) and a special system applied at CNAM-Liban.

We believe that, with this substantial increase in the number of students, one must go on with radical reforms in this area based on self-evaluation and external assessment of engineering programmes. This should also be based on the learning outcomes of these engineering programmes and on their impact on the development of the country.

Many ideas can be proposed in that regard:

Quality Assurance and accreditation processes, Continuous audit process, Implementing Colloquium examinations in Engineering and Reinforcing the admission criteria to engineering

programmes.

These actions require National dialogue with the Orders of Engineers and with all

other stakeholders concerned by the sector, in particular with the industrial sector.

New legislations

Engineering Education system in Lebanon (Structure)

Engineering Education System in Lebanon (Statistics)

Specialty 2005-2006 2009-2010 2014-2015General 1915 3007 2135Agriculture 75 71 273Applied Energy 0 11 44Architecture 1272 2067 4776Chemical 0 24 420Petrolium 0 0 100Civil & construction 936 2532 3563CCE & Computer 3765 3096 3605Elec. & Comp. & Electronics 1509 1811 1521Eng. Mgt. 89 85 80

Electro. & Biomedical 381 339 148Env. & Water 33 34 22Indust. & Mgt. 99 117 513Mechanical 1669 2039 2663Mecatronics 47 111 110Topograph. 84 165 472Total 11874 15509 20445

Managing Engineering Education:

- Licensing of the Faculties of Engineering by the Council of Ministries: Council of Higher Education, technical committee

- Starting-up Process (Technical Committee)

- Recognition of the Degrees (TC, Equivalence Committee, Engineering Committee)

- Authorization to practice for students (Engineering Committee):

- Inside & Outside Lebanon- For outside Lebanon, the conditions are:

- Accredited Institutions (ABET, CTI, NAAB, etc.)- List of Recognized Institutions- Engineering degree (5 years program) equivalent to the Lebanese

University or Master of engineering based on Bachelor of Engineering.

New regulations 1- New Law for Higher education

- Ratified in 28/5/20104 by the parliament (Law No. 285/2014)

- Licensing is based on needs assessment analysis

- Specialized technical committees for programs in Engineering (Experts & representatives from the Orders of Engineers):

- Framework for licensing engineering programs (Criteria & standards)- Starting-up process with site visits.- Continuous assessment by the committees during the 5 years (checking

the evolution of the program, admission, equipment, Staff, etc.)- Recognition up to the first graduation.- Re-recognition after 5 years (continuous assessment of the programs)

- Accountability:- Based on the evolution and the situation of the programs in the

institution)

New regulations:2- Lebanese Quality Assurance System in HE

- All HEIs must apply internal QA process & external assessment

- Project law to create the Lebanese Quality Assurance Agency in HE:- Autonomous- Board of Trustees (relevant stakeholders: Universities, Orders,

Employment sector, International experts): Supervise the Agency- Board of Directors: composed of experts in QA- Standards & Indicators

- Actions:- Dissemination of Quality culture- TLQAA Tempus Project (2012-2014): training, pilot studies

- Impact:- Many HEIs got accreditation from international agencies, others on

their way.

Other Proposals:Accreditation of Engineering programs (LEPAC project)

1- A Tempus project during 2006-2008 to create a Lebanese Engineering Programs Accreditation Commission

2- Funded by the European Commission Tempus programme3- This system is based on the International Standards and Procedures such as ABET

and EUR-ACE.4- Main objectives are:

• To establish an organizational structure and bylaws for the proposed LABEE• To establish a draft of accreditation criteria• To establish a draft of accreditation procedures• To train Lebanese accreditation specialists• To be a consultant to the Lebanese Ministry of HE and the Orders of

Engineers for the equivalency of the international Engineering degrees • To identify and classify EPs.

5- Main partners: Steering committee: Order of Engineers (Lebanon), FEANI, ASIIN, SEFI, CTI, UL, UOB, BAU, DGHE. Technical committee (All Faculties of Eng. In Lebanon)

Other Proposals

Colloquium in Engineering

- Lebanese Experience: Colloquium in health Sciences - Partners: DGHE, Orders, MPH- 2 times annually (July/Aug.) & (Nov./Dec.)- MD, Dentistry, Nursing, Nutrition, Physiotherapy, etc. - Written and oral exams.

- Tests in Universities:- Olympic Sciences (Engineering Faculties in Lebanon): Electrical,

Computer & communication, Mechanical, etc.

Conclusions

Engineering programmes should respond to the requirements of a national development strategy.

In the design of any Engineering curriculum, stakeholders like Orders and industry should be consulted and eventually involved.

Stakeholders could also be involved in the teaching and learning process.

Cooperation with the industry should be based on common understanding, mutual interest so that students internships could be planned and provided.

Employability should be a top priority when a new programme is designed and delivered.

Thanks

Ahmad JAMMALDirector General of Higher EducationMinistry of education & Higher EducationHabib Abi Chahla Street, Beirut, Lebanon

Tel: +961.1.772500Fax: +961.1.772529Email: ajammal@higher-edu.gov.lbWeb: www.higher-edu.gov.lbTwitter: @ajammal_lbSkype: a-jammal

14