As part of its 25th-anniversary celebrations, the American University of Technology (AUT) in Halat, in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the DAAD Ta’zi Partnership and Exchange Program, organized a workshop hosting 120 students from various Lebanese universities to compete with innovative entrepreneurship projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The opening session featured MP Tony Frangieh, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology, MP Razi El Hage, committee member, and former Minister of Telecommunications Nicolas Sehnaoui, alongside academics and entrepreneurship specialists. The session was moderated by Dr. Walid Karam and Dr. Linda Al Ashqouti Mouawad.
The workshop began with a panel discussion titled “Technological Innovation as a Catalyst for Job Creation and Combating Brain Drain,” attended by MP Simon Abi Ramia, AUT founder Dr. Ghada Hinain, university president Dr. Chafic Mokbel, professors, and interested stakeholders.
Discussions centered on three main pillars:
1- Establishing a legislative vision to support Lebanon’s digital transformation and the role of the Ministry of Telecommunications in policy formulation.
2- The role of universities and academia in developing skills and supporting the sector in collaboration with the private and public sectors.
3- Funding, international outreach, and the role of the Lebanese diaspora in supporting the technology sector and attracting investment.
In his address, AUT Vice President for International Relations Mr. Marcel Hinain emphasized the university’s commitment to fostering sustainable solutions to one of Lebanon’s pressing challenges: brain drain and declining human capital investment.
MP Frangieh highlighted that while artificial intelligence remains an aspirational goal in Lebanon, initiatives are underway despite legislative challenges, noting the importance of updating existing laws and emphasizing that administrative decentralization, endorsed by President Joseph Aoun in his inaugural address, will empower municipalities to better serve citizens.
MP El Hage underscored the importance of laying the legal groundwork for the technology sector in the coming months, stressing that “human intelligence is needed to develop artificial intelligence” and commending AUT for its pioneering role in advancing technology in Lebanon.
Former Minister Sehnaoui noted that the time has come to invest in talent and innovation, advocating for the integration of programming and AI courses into school and university curricula, and emphasizing the vital role of civil society and universities in collaborating with the parliamentary committee to advance Lebanon’s technological landscape.
In his remarks, MP Simon Abi Ramia praised the participation of MPs from various blocs, describing it as a reflection of national unity and encouraging Lebanese youth to remain optimistic, emphasizing that parliament plays a constructive role on issues concerning youth, despite the political tensions often highlighted by the media.
At the conclusion of the workshop, 25 teams were announced as finalists moving to the next stage of the competition, from which five projects will be selected to travel to Germany for further training and support to launch their startups in Lebanon. Commemorative plaques were presented to MPs Frangieh, El Hage, and Sehnaoui in recognition of their participation.
It is noteworthy that this initiative is part of the activities of CREATE Center, established by AUT two years ago under the leadership of Dr. Walid Karam, Head of the Computer Science Department, to foster creativity and innovation in Lebanon’s technology sector.
