The Project in Brief

The project “Innovation and Development of Academic-Industry Partnerships through Efficient Research Administration in Lebanon” (IDEAL) was officially launched at American University of Beirut in December 2012 and it will finish in October 2015. A further 6 month no-cost extension was granted in May 2015.

The main goal of the project is to increase capacity and capability for research, development and innovation at Lebanese institutions of higher education. IDEAL aims to develop systems capable of supporting and promoting relevant research at Lebanese universities, create networks to transfer innovation from academia to industry and establish partnerships, and establish professional structures between government academia, and industry for the long-term management of research for Lebanon.

The project is comprised of a consortium of 15 partners from Lebanon and Europe. The participating Lebanese institutions represent over two-thirds of the Lebanese landscape of higher education.

The target beneficiaries of this project are Lebanese researchers, students, non-profit organizations, and society at-large who will benefit from improved systems for research, development and innovation (RD&I) designed to grow Lebanon’s economic strength and global competitiveness.

The Project Coordinator Institution is the American University of Beirut that has been awarded a grant from the European Union Tempus Programme to implement this three year project that supports academic research while promoting innovation and enhancing partnerships with industries. The EU Tempus IV Program supports modernisation of higher education systems and creation of an area of co-operation between the EU and its neighbourhood countries. Established in 1990, its scheme now covers 26 partner countries in the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.