The Division of Audio Visual Arts (DAVA) / Department of Media Studies at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) has been accepted as a member of the International Association of Film and Television Schools (CILECT) in an academic recognition for the quality of its programs.
The CILECT includes over 180 audio-visual educational institutions from 65 countries on 6 continents with more than 9,000+ teachers and staff that annually train more than 55,000+ students and communicate with an alumni network over 1,330,000+ strong. It believes in the inherent inter-connectivity of humankind and fully supports creativity, diversity, cross-cultural thinking and sustainable development as fundamental prerequisites to human existence and progress. It is highly committed to developing and promoting the highest standards of education, research and training for film, television and related media through establishing and organizing global and regional forums for the exchange of artistic, pedagogical, methodological and managerial best practices for all its members.
Executive Director Professor Stanislav Semerdjiev visited NDU on September 19, 2017, and met with DAVA Director Dr. Nicolas Khabbaz, Chairperson of Department of Media Studies (DMS) at NDU Dr. Maria Bou Zeid, and Vice-President for Academic Affairs at NDU Dr. Elie Badr. Professor Semerdjiev also met with almost all faculty members as well as with more than 50 students in different phases of study. He also watched many films from spanning different years of study and genres, and finally, met with several distinguished industry professionals who employ DAVA graduates.
The DAVA is known for its high caliber graduates and productions along with its International Film Festival (NDUIFF), a festival that is well-known in the Francophone and Arab countries that takes place every year in November. The NDUIFF invites 40 to 50 foreign guests per year and has become a national celebration for short films with guests giving many workshops and seminars.
Professor Semerdjiev also visited all the NDU Facilities that DAVA students and faculty use. The book/film library, which is extremely well organized and supported, has been selected by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) as the research institution where the entire catalog of audio-visual heritage of Lebanon will be digitized; the DAVA camera/sound recording equipment satisfies the students’ needs; more than 30 editing stations, 15 sound stations, film/music soundstages and TV studios (all fully equipped with sets) cover all possible practical exercises (40 hours of production annually). One of the facilities though, particularly struck him as the embodiment of the spirit of democracy – a 300-seat modern conference hall built in the form of an ancient amphitheatrically arena which is the Issam Fares Hall at NDU Main campus in Zouk Mosbeh.
Based on Professor Semerdjiev’s report the Executive Council ratified the admission of NDU as a full member of CILECT.