Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) and the Beirut Bar Association have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the presence of NDU President, Fr. Bechara Khoury, represented by the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), Dr. Michel El Hayek, and President of the Bar, Attorney Nader Gaspard. Additional attendees included the Director of the NDU North Lebanon Campus (NLC), Fr. François Akl, Vice President of University Advancement (VPUA), Dr. Antoine Farhat, Dean of Students, Dr. Charbel Zgheib, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLPS), Dr. Dany Samaha, and Director of Public Affairs and Protocol, Mr. Majed Bou Hadir, as well as various legal counsel, faculty, staff, and students.
The signing began with the Lebanese National Anthem, after which El Hayek took to the stage to welcome the attendees and emphasize NDU’s duty towards its students, especially in ensuring that quality education remained within the reach of the public, regardless of the economic status of the country. Hayek stated that this mission “requires the University to develop our wider society, to provide the proper tools for the youth to be the leaders of progress.”
Accordingly, since its founding, the University has taken the initiative to take care of the quality of education and provide the best programs according to international standards approved by specialized accreditation organizations globally. The FLPS, for its part, stands out in Lebanon as the only law school with English as a main language of instruction that is officially licensed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
Samaha, following Hayek, elaborated on the MoU’s significance in initiating NDU’s law students as part of the union, thereby facilitating their induction into the Bar upon graduation. Gaspard’s own speech built upon this point, explaining the intricacies of entering the legal profession and offering words of encouragement to the law students in the audience. “The Bar Association is not an exclusive club with limited seats. It functions as the union of all who work in the legal field, and we have always been supportive of our younger members.” Gaspard specifically praised NDU Alumna, Nour Bou Abboud, as an example of a dedicated lawyer who joined the Association.
After the speeches, Gaspard and Samaha engaged in a lively Q&A session with the students in the audience, addressing their curiosities and remarking on their insights. The signing concluded with El Hayek offering Gaspard a token of appreciation, a book on Greater Lebanon, marking the beginning of a fruitful collaboration between both institutions.