HimmaBI and Moltaqa Goodness and Development in Akkar, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture of Tripoli, held the conference titled “Aligning Higher Education Outcomes with Labor Market Needs” as part of the STEP project, funded by the Islamic Development Bank, Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Foundation, and the Dutch organization SPARK.

The conference was attended by representatives from Lebanese universities, economic bodies, private sector organizations, media professionals, activists, and delegates from international and non-governmental organizations engaged in development, culture, and education. A number of university graduates also participated.

The event began with the Lebanese national anthem, followed by a welcome address from Mr. Mohamed Obeid, a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, representing the Chamber’s President, Mr. Toufic Dabboussi. He emphasized the significance of this scientific gathering in fostering sustainable partnerships between the private sector and higher education institutions. The goal is to ensure that graduates secure employment opportunities aligned with their academic qualifications while precisely meeting labor market demands, both in terms of quantity and quality.

Mr. Khaled Al-Masri, President of the Al-Kheir and Development Forum, highlighted the critical importance of investing in human resources, pointing to global success stories like Singapore, which transformed from modest beginnings to a leading example of economic progress.

Engineer Mahmoud Saeed, President of the Lebanese Programmers Association and STEP Project Director, then introduced STEP’s mission: to collaborate with partner universities to develop a sustainable mechanism that adapts higher education to labor market needs. The key initiatives include:

1. Establishing a specialized unit to engage with economic sectors and monitor labor market demands locally and internationally.
2. Enhancing career counseling services, guiding students toward fields that match their skills and market requirements.
3. Collaborating with economic experts to create workshops and curricula aimed at boosting graduate skills for market readiness.
4. Facilitating internships and on-the-job training in various industries to open sustainable employment pathways for graduates.
5. Supporting entrepreneurship through mentorship and partnerships between graduates and successful business projects.
6. Fostering research collaboration between universities and the private sector.

The conference featured panel discussions. The first session, moderated by Mr. Mohammad Adib Al-Ahdab, focused on bridging the gap between universities and the labor market. Panelists included Dr. Bilal Barakeh, advisor to the President of the Lebanese University, who spoke about efforts to modernize curricula, including the introduction of Engineering Management. Dr. Ali Haddara, CEO of SoftDomain, emphasized promoting Lebanese talents internationally. Ms. Shireen Baba from Eradah highlighted challenges graduates face, like drafting effective resumes and leveraging LinkedIn. Dr. Jimmy Karam discussed the need for stronger ties between universities and businesses to address skills gaps.

Valuable insights followed, including remarks from Dr. Khaled Baghdadi, Vice President of Beirut Arab University, who stressed the role of self-development beyond academic outcomes. Engineer Lamia Mikati from ULF University pointed out the importance of diverse academic programs tailored to market demands.

The second session, led by Engineer Zaid Hamza of Softwave, emphasized turning current economic challenges into opportunities for innovation and growth. Contributions included Engineer Bahaa Harb, President of the Order of Engineers in Tripoli, who noted the lack of strategic planning hindering Lebanese engineers’ development, and Dr. Hassan Dinnawi, head of Tripoli’s Special Economic Zone, who called for university-based research groups to study labor market trends. Mr. Wael Makhal, CEO of Partners & Beyond, addressed the impact of limited job markets and inadequate salaries on talent migration, advocating for a professional business environment. Mr. Alain Shatari from the UNDP underscored the necessity of an integrated infrastructure to support job creation.

The conference concluded with a networking reception. Recommendations from the discussions will be documented in an upcoming study.