Our Roots, Our Future…

Marking 150 years since the founding of our University as a duty of memory and gratitude!

As of May 2024, we embark on a friendly and contemplative journey leading up to the 150-year milestone of our University’s founding. Historic records show that the Jesuits left Ghazir for Beirut in the second week of November 1875 to teach at the newly-built Saint Joseph University, home to the Oriental Seminary and the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy. Both of these institutions played a crucial role in shaping the spiritual and pastoral leadership of the Eastern Catholic Church and providing secondary-level education for youth from Lebanon and the broader Middle East. These institutions were called Saint Joseph University of Beirut.

One of the main reasons for this commemoration is to take a pilgrimage to ourselves, back to the founding moment of the University’s history to retrace, with a profound sense of loyalty, the trails of the objectives and values that gave impetus to the founding of the University: educating the youth with excellence, respecting freedom of conscience through dialogue, forging a strong nationwide community, and upholding the duty of allying faith and reason.

It is a duty of memory and gratitude to those who have worked and toiled so that such a founding could take place and flourish. They lived moments of anguish and uncertainty for the buildings to be built, and for the project of the educational mission – refashioned into an institution of higher education in Beirut – to be written into existence.

As we celebrate this milestone, we cannot but remember the great names who contributed to the construction works of 1875; however, we must also remember the great names who carried on the legacy and contributed to the establishment of several faculties that have consistently made their mark on their respective eras: The Faculty of Medicine (1883), the Oriental Faculty (1903), the Faculty of Engineering, and the Faculty of Law (1913). In the aftermath of the First World War, institutions such as the Faculty of Pharmacy, the Faculty of Dental Medicine, the Faculty of Nursing Science, the School of Midwifery emerged. They contributed to the advancement of health sciences and services. Later, institutions of humanities, administrative sciences and economics, education, and social sciences gradually saw the light to meet the aspirations of young students and the needs of society and the new Lebanese State, which was established in 1920, and which our University has served, is serving and will continue to serve.

The celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the University coincides with another significant milestone – the 50th anniversary of the University’s refounding in 1975, which endowed the University with a Charter, affirming its autonomy, setting forth its purpose, thus governing its relations with itself, with both Lebanese and international frameworks, and the Society of Jesus, under the leadership of a central administration at the service of all its bodies.

This 150th anniversary celebration is an opportunity for all of us to extend our gratitude for the commitment of the countless collaborators, both laypeople and Jesuit, rectors, deans, directors, instructors, researchers and administrative staff who have passionately upheld USJ’s educational mission and contributed to its international renown and stature. We would also like to thank the more than one hundred thousand alumni united under the USJ Federation of Alumni Associations, along with numerous international Alumni chapters; as well as the Saint Joseph University of Dubai. We can only thank the divine guidance of our Lord God, for He has guided us under the benevolent, watchful gaze of our patron saint, Saint Joseph, to help us reach this remarkable milestone of service and mission, guided solely by the sheer principle of giving, driven by merit and success, and far and free from any discrimination or favoritism. Our heartfelt tribute extends to both Jesuits and laypeople who, alongside many Alumni, have dedicated their lives to defend and promote the noble cause of youth, freedom, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue and coexistence in Lebanon.

Commemorating 150 years of existence is not just a reflection on the past, be it recent or distant, but also a reflection on the present and a promise for the future. Several adventures and challenges lie ahead. We must further our efforts to navigate through the ongoing crisis, both within our University and on a national scale. We must aim ever more to establish an educational community rooted in the values of the Jesuit pedagogy. We must continue to offer the most relevant and critical tools for comprehending and envisioning the future of our world and Lebanon. We must question the role of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in education, continuously elevate the quality of academic teaching and scientific research, develop our understanding of eco-citizenship, and delve deeper into our strategic initiatives to excel in lifelong learning, healthcare, and new international endeavors under the banner of USJ. These adventures and challenges only fuel our ambition to carry out our age-old mission, with professionals who take immense pride in their affiliation and the values they carry and uphold.

A logo and a motto, Our Roots, Our Future, were adopted to unite our upcoming series of celebrations and to guide us in our shared vision. Through their sense of belonging and specificity, the University’s various institutions will host events to honor the junction between the past and the future. All major scientific and festive events organized by the University’s institutions, as well as by USJ Alumni, will bear the logo and spirit of this event. As we approach our 150th anniversary, the entire USJ community, from instructors to students, is invited to celebrate this milestone in a spirit of friendship and sharing.

It is in a constant movement between past, present, and future that any institution, especially academic ones, must embrace these exceptional moments, overflowing with so many emotions and memories, both joyful and painful. USJ remains dedicated to educating individuals who grasp the intricacies of their world, possess the courage to challenge and critique the reality they live in, dare to instigate change, and actively contribute to the advancement of a more inclusive and just society.

Prof. Salim Daccache, SJ
Rector of the Saint Joseph University of Beirut