Fr. Salim DACCACHE s.j.

Rector's Office
Faculty of Religious Studies

Instructor
Rector

(+961) 1 421 000 ext 1101 salim.daccache@usj.edu.lb

Professor Salim Daccache, SJ, has served as the Rector of the Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) since August 1, 2012, following his roles as Dean of the Faculty of Religious Studies (2008 – 2012) Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies (2010 – 2012). A seasoned educator, he was also the Rector of Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour, a Jesuit school in Lebanon, for 18 years, overseeing 4,000 students. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Prof. Daccache teaches philosophy of religion, interreligious dialogue, Syriac spirituality at the USJ Faculty of Religious Studies. Prof. Daccache holds two PhD degrees: one in Philosophy on The Muslim Kalam in the 10th Century, from Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne in France, another in Educational Sciences on School Pluralism in Lebanon, from the University of Strasbourg in France. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor in Philosophy from the Saint Joseph University of Beirut and a Master in Theology and Philosophy from Centre Sèvres - Jesuit Faculty of Philosophy and Theology in France. Beyond his academic responsibilities, Prof. Daccache is the editor-in-chief of the cultural Arabic journal El Machreq, and the author and translator of several books and publications. His works include The Issue of Creation in the Muslim Kalam of Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (10th century), the editing and introduction of An Epistle on the Holy Trinity by Abu al Raitah Takriti, and the translation of The Spiritual Letters and Homilies of John of Dalyatha from Syriac to Arabic. Moreover, he worked on the editing and translation of the Spiritual Retreat to the Retreatants written by Maronite Aleppine Bishop Germanos Farhat, an 18th century Arabic version by Germanos Farhat of the commentary on Psalm 50 by Jerome Savonarole. Additionally, he published a book entitled Research: Pluralism, Living Together, and Citizenship in Lebanon: Is Education the Key to Salvation? (Editions de l’Université Saint-Joseph and L’Harmattan France, 2013). He has also translated several French and Italian works into Arabic. Motivated by a commitment to fostering interfaith dialogue in Lebanon, Prof. Daccache serves as the president of GLADIC (Lebanese Group for Friendship and Christian-Islamic Dialogue), promoting collaboration and understanding in secondary schools across Lebanon. He is also a member of the Executive Board of the International Association of Universities and the President of the Regional Conference of Rectors of the Middle East.

Highest degree : PhD in Philosophy & PhD in Science Education - Université Panthéon Sorbonne (Paris 1) [France] & Université Marc Bloch (Strasbourg-II) [France]