Admissions Policy
LAU has a strong and enduring commitment to promoting women’s access, participation, and leadership in higher education. As an equal-opportunity institution, the university does not discriminate based on gender and actively supports women through initiatives such as the USAID Higher Education Scholarship Program, which provides full, merit-based scholarships to academically eligible and financially disadvantaged students across Lebanon. While targeting both men and women equally, nearly two-thirds of recipients are women—underscoring LAU’s pivotal role in empowering women and fostering gender equity.
Through the Arab Institute for Women (AiW), a pioneering center in the region dedicated to advancing women’s empowerment and addressing gender disparities, LAU continues to champion research, advocacy, and collaboration with local and international partners to enhance opportunities for women in education and beyond. Programs such as the Tomorrow’s Leaders Scholarship Program (MEPI-TLP) have further strengthened women’s representation in academia and professional life, cultivating future female leaders in Lebanon and the wider region.
Building on this foundation, LAU launched a comprehensive Gender Equity Plan (GEP) under the auspices of the Office of Community Standards and the university’s leadership. Developed by a 19-member committee and convened by President Dr. Michel Mawad, the GEP represents the university’s first holistic institutional effort to evaluate and advance gender equity across all areas of university life. Over a year-long process, the committee conducted extensive data analysis, over 30 stakeholder interviews, and LAU’s first campus climate survey to assess progress, identify challenges, and recommend actionable improvements.
The plan follows a four-phase framework, analysis, planning, implementation, and monitoring, with this first report focusing primarily on analysis and partial planning. Findings confirm LAU’s position as a regional leader in gender equity but highlight the need for deeper structural change to ensure sustained inclusivity in decision-making, policy enforcement, and academic practices.
The methodology combined quantitative and qualitative tools: analysis of demographic and employment data, policy reviews, and direct engagement with students, faculty, and staff. This approach provided a holistic understanding of gender representation, experiences, and institutional culture.
In terms of decision-making, while women are well represented across the university, their presence declines in senior leadership roles. The report recommends increasing transparency in selection processes, achieving gender balance on committees and boards, introducing structured mentorship programs, and publishing annual gender representation data.
Across policy, teaching, and research practices, the GEP urges more consistent implementation of existing equity policies, integration of gender perspectives into curricula, and improved access to research funding and authorship for women. The plan also emphasizes LAU’s role as a civic leader—advocating gender equity through community engagement and outreach.
The Office of Community Standards continues to uphold a zero-tolerance policy for gender-based discrimination and harassment, ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all. Initiatives such as the expansion of maternity and paternity leave demonstrate LAU’s proactive stance in promoting fairness and family support.
Together, these efforts affirm LAU’s legacy as the first higher education institution in the MENA region dedicated to women’s education and its evolution into a forward-thinking, gender-equitable university. Through the GEP and ongoing institutional initiatives, LAU continues to shape a future defined by equity, inclusion, and opportunity—honoring its past while leading the region toward sustainable gender justice in academia and beyond.
Summary of the GEP Assessment Report (Lebanese American University, January 2024)
The Gender Equity Plan (GEP) at the Lebanese American University (LAU) provides both an evaluation of the university’s progress on gender equity and a roadmap for future improvement. Led by the Office of Community Standards, the plan was developed by a 19-member committee representing diverse sectors of the university. Over the course of a year, the group analyzed data, conducted interviews, and reviewed institutional practices to understand how well LAU promotes gender equity in policy, governance, and culture.
Introduction:
Launched in February 2022, the GEP is the first comprehensive institutional plan of its kind in Lebanon. It builds on earlier groundwork by Dr. Lina Abirafeh and the Arab Institute for Women (AiW). The report emphasizes that gender equity—which accounts for differing needs and barriers rather than simply equal treatment—contributes to better institutional performance, innovation, and social wellbeing.
The plan follows a four-step framework:
- Analysis: Conducting gender audits and reviewing data for inequities.
- Planning: Setting clear goals, actions, and resource allocations.
- Implementation: Carrying out initiatives to promote equity.
- Monitoring: Measuring progress through key indicators and feedback loops.
This first report focuses mainly on analysis and partially on planning, establishing the foundation for future implementation.
Methodology:
The committee adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining:
- Quantitative analysis of demographic and employment data to assess representation, promotions, and pay equity;
- Qualitative inputs from more than 30 stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and LAU’s first campus climate survey;
- Policy reviews to identify gaps between institutional goals and actual practices.
This triangulated method allowed the committee to understand both the numbers and lived experiences behind gender dynamics at LAU.
Decision-Making:
Findings highlight that while women are active and visible across the university, their representation decreases at higher levels of leadership and governance.
Challenges include limited transparency in appointment processes, informal networks that shape advancement, and insufficient mentorship opportunities for women.
Recommendations include:
- Ensuring gender balance in key committees and leadership bodies;
- Standardizing and publicizing criteria for appointments and promotions;
- Introducing structured mentorship and leadership development programs;
- Collecting and publishing annual data on gender representation at decision-making levels.
Practices:
The report assesses three main areas:
- Policy Practices: LAU’s policies are progressive but unevenly implemented. Regular policy audits and staff training are recommended to ensure consistency.
- Teaching Practices: Faculty are encouraged to integrate gender perspectives into curricula and classroom discussions. The report calls for training on inclusive pedagogy and equitable assessment.
- Research Practices: Gender disparities persist in authorship and funding. The plan urges gender-sensitive research design, equitable access to resources, and formal recognition for women researchers.
It also stresses the importance of civic engagement and community outreach, positioning LAU as a national example of gender equity leadership.
Conclusion:
The GEP sets the groundwork for a sustainable transformation in how LAU defines and practices equity. It reframes gender equity as an essential component of academic excellence, leadership integrity, and institutional resilience.
The next phase will require strong leadership commitment, dedicated resources, and ongoing evaluation to ensure that equity is not only a principle but a lived reality across the university.
Admissions Policy
LAU shall admit qualified students regardless of their nationality, race, gender, or religious affiliation. However, in cognizance with its original purpose and historical background, LAU has a commitment to promote higher education for women.
A. Recruitment:
Students shall be recruited primarily from Lebanon and other Middle Eastern Countries to meet the total number desired, as reflected in the Strategic Enrollment Plan approved by the Board of Trustees. Recruitment shall aim to meet the enrollment objectives of the different divisions and schools. Recruitment strategies should be developed to identify prospective students for the promotion of new programs, whenever needed.
B. Students’ Distribution:
The relative distribution of students in all programs and majors should be reviewed periodically in order to maintain the proper academic standards set by the University.
C. Criteria for Admission:
Students shall be admitted in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the countries of which they are citizens, provided it is in accordance with inter-governmental agreements applicable in Lebanon. Specific entrance requirements for the different programs shall be set by the Faculty, through the proper Councils of the University, upon the recommendations of the different schools.
D. Fee and Deposits:
An application fee shall be charged to applicants to cover, partially, the expense of evaluating their records for possible admission to the University. Upon acceptance, all students have to pay a fee to reserve classroom space. An additional fee is required from students wishing to reserve dormitory space. Such advance payments are not refundable.
All fees are stipulated in the “University List of Fees” approved by the Administration on an annual basis.
The dates on which such payments are made shall establish the student’s priority in the registration for courses, and class sections, and in the assignment of dormitory space, provided it abides by the University schedule for registration.
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