The Notre Dame University-Shouf Campus’ Faculty of Business Administration and Economics (FBAE) launched, in cooperation with the Admissions Office, the Master of Science (MS) in Business Strategy, in a special event, on Friday July 15, 2016.
NDU faculty and students as well as bankers and company professionals from the neighboring regions attended the launch to become acquainted with the program and participate in a question-answer session that addresses their concerns.
In his welcome speech, Father Hanna Tayar, Director of NDU-SC emphasized that the launch of the MS in Business Strategy program is a bold step forward and a sign of belief in Lebanon’s emerging youth and their ability to change the face of the business world in Lebanon, the region and internationally. “We wanted to bring quality education closer to home because we believe in the potential of our on the field professionals and we sense their ambition” said Fr. Tayar. He noted that the thriving private sector in Lebanon stands in sharp contrast with a dysfunctional public sector. He hoped that the new program which targets graduates of all faculties would help educate the youth to benefit from Lebanon’s and the region’s business potential and improve both the private and public sectors through sound strategic thinking, value creation, innovation and decision making.
The floor was, then given to Dr. Talie Kassamany, Coordinator of the FBAE-SC, who mentioned that the reason behind offering this specialized Master Program was to cater the market's need for specialized skills and the needs of business professionals at critical stages in their careers - from new graduates, early career professionals, budding entrepreneurs, to those taking the next step in leading organizations. Dr. Kassamany also noted that FBAE-SC prioritizes quality education through high quality teaching and research, integrity by cultivating ethical leadership, diversity by embracing unique ideas and strengthening connections, and continuity by emphasizing sustainability, from operations to education and research.
Guest speaker Dr. Micheal Bassous, Executive Leader, explained the importance of using Business Strategies in the commercial sector, non-government organizations, educational sectors, and the public sector. "Companies with a strong business strategy outperform other companies," asserted Dr. Bassous. He added that this program focuses on three main business strategy aspects:
1. Governance by identifying and splitting the roles of governing bodies and managerial practices
2. Marketing through adopting and implementing a new marketing strategy; utilizing modern marketing communications and the art of brand management;
3. Entrepreneurship skills through creating new products or services for profit, social or public sectors.
Dr. Bassous concluded by stressing the "program’s unique ability to move organizations beyond the day-to-day challenges toward a desired destination- move from a “surviving” to a “thriving” organization."
A detailed presentation about the program was given by Dr. Talie Kassamany and Ms. Maya Abou Khzam, Admission Officer at NDU-SC. The presentation addressed the need for the program, career outlook, distinctive offerings and admission requirements.
A question-answer session followed during which a number of bank branch managers and company professionals expressed their admiration for this initiative and its positive foreseeable impact on the business world in the region. The launch was followed by a celebratory toast.