The Board of Trustees of Lebanese American University (LAU) invites nominations for and expressions of interest in the position of president. LAU is a nationally and internationally recognized not-for-profit, private American university established in 1924.
The university maintains an enrollment of 8,000+ students, 1,600+ faculty and staff, two distinct operating campuses in Beirut and Byblos, Lebanon, an academic center and headquarters in New York City, and an executive center and academic medical center, which includes a major teaching hospital in the middle of Beirut. The university is comprised of seven schools serving undergraduate, graduate and doctoral/professional practice students across 59-degree programs.
LAU has experienced substantial growth in enrollment, programs, faculty, staff and physical space over the past decade. Its stunning, one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art facilities offer students and faculty opportunities to share in cutting-edge teaching and research while modeling responsible citizenship for this beautiful, ancient country and heart of civilization.
LAU’s local, regional and international corporate, university and philanthropic partnerships are also expanding. Its endowment has topped $500 million, its budget is over $188 million, and it contributes more than $890 million yearly to the Lebanese economy, ensuring its position as one of the most successful and influential institutions of higher education in the country and the Middle East. More information about LAU may be found on its website.
What makes LAU unique and special is its mission, which is to deliver a high-quality liberal arts education to the broadest possible spectrum of Lebanese society and the MENA region as whole, and, in so doing, to be an agent for making our world fair, equal and free. As a result, the university embodies the heart, soul, and history of the country and region. Its survival and success, despite periodic conflicts and economic challenges, have strengthened the resolve of the university’s people and provided a beacon of hope for youth who seek to better themselves and their communities.
LAU is committed to access to higher education, no matter what a student’s situation may be, by not only welcoming young scholars from all national, sectarian, social and economic backgrounds, but also by awarding significant financial aid packages. That the university is among the most generous of its kind in the Middle East is a testament to its founding principles as a women’s educational institution at a time when women had few options in the region. The university has produced generations of leaders who have racked up achievements and contributions in Lebanon and beyond.
After 16 years of successful leadership, LAU’s current president, Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra, will retire in 2020. The next president of LAU is expected to continue the university’s momentum and steer its successful trajectory for the future. To succeed, the next president must personify the mission and commitment of the university to serve young people and society as a whole, by providing innovative educational programs to a diverse and talented student body, real-world solutions through research and application of knowledge, and leadership in a dynamic society. The president must embody the inclusiveness and student centeredness of LAU by being a constant and familiar presence on both campuses, whose door is always open. The president must bring outstanding credentials, skill, and experience to the intellectual, social, political, financial and human aspects of the role, connect joyfully and empathetically with all of the university’s constituents, and serve indefatigably, humbly and enthusiastically as the leader of this multi-faceted enterprise.
Recruitment will continue until the position is filled.
For best consideration, candidates should submit materials by May 1, 2019.
Initial contact should be made with Witt/Kieffer International Group, the executive search firm exclusively engaged to assist with the appointment. The relevant Witt/Kieffer International contact is as follows:
Natalie Derry, General Manager
Witt/Kieffer International London Office
Level 10, 88 Wood St
London, EC2V 7RS
United Kingdom
Mobile: +44 7408 851 596
Email: natalied@wittkiefferinternational.com
Lucy A. Leske, Senior Partner
Witt/Kieffer
2015 Spring Road
Suite 510
Oak Brook
IL 60523
Phone: 508-680-1268
Mobile: 617-901-6610
Email: LLeske@wittkieffer.com
More innformation about how to nominate someone or to apply for this opportunity can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.