A Policy Framework for Higher Education in Lebanon: The Role of Strategic Planning

Abstract

Lebanon, located at the crossroads of the Middle East, possesses a rich, diverse history reflecting the ebb and flow of the many nationalities that have all left their unique imprints on the country’s social, political, and cultural development. These historical events frame the critical influences of the country’s current development and operations. Of particular importance in this development process is the overall educational sector: basic, secondary, and higher education. This subsector is central and pivotal to Lebanon, which prospers primarily on the wealth of its human capital. It is recognized that education is an essential foundational base on which the nation must depend for its economic and future well-being, particularly when situated in the context of a volatile international marketplace and an unstable global economy.