After a series of meetings between the Fouad Chehab Foundation (FCF) and the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI) at the American University of Beirut, the two parties signed a memorandum of understanding as they agreed on the necessity of establishing a lasting and concrete institutional collaboration. The agreement focuses on thematics that are of mutual interest related to the concept of good governance in Lebanon and the objectives and political principles of Chehabism. This collaboration revolves specifically around public administration and reform and a new and realistic foreign policy for Lebanon.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by President of the Fouad Chehab Foundation and Former Minister Adel Hamiyeh and Dr. Joseph Bahout, director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, in the presence of members from both sides. This collaboration will be followed through and concretized and an exchange of information regarding the respective institutions’ activities will be assured.
“The idea of rational public policies and the image of President Fouad Chehab’s era are still inseparable in the minds of most Lebanese,” said Bahout. “Hence, it was natural for an institute like ours, to which politics and public administration are at the core of its interests, to converge with a prestigious institution such as the Fouad Chehab Foundation to carry out a range of activities on reforming and developing the public sector, strengthening the role of the state in public life, and developing new thinking about the role of Lebanon in its regional environment. This partnership is a matter of pride for us at IFI, and we look forward to everything that will come from it.”
“I am very glad that we are joining forces with the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, and what it represents from moral, scientific, and cultural values, as well as knowledge of internal and external public affairs,” said Hamiyeh.
The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut looks forward to exploring arenas for partnership with the Fouad Chehab Foundation through activities as diverse as a series of policy dialogues; workshops with key stakeholders, scholars, and experts; and the publication of policy memos and policy briefs, among others.
About AUB
Founded in 1866, the American University of Beirut bases its educational philosophy, standards, and practices on the American liberal arts model of higher education. A teaching-centered research university, AUB has more than 800 full-time faculty members and a student body of over 8000 students. AUB currently offers more than 120 programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s, MD, and PhD degrees. It provides medical education and training to students from throughout the region at its Medical Center that includes a full-service 365-bed hospital.