StEER-Leb Project
Student Empowerment, Engagement and Representation in Lebanese Universities
Co funded by Erasmus+ programme of the European Union
Coordinated at USJ by the Student Life Department

Project Duration
36 months

Project Coordinator
Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon

Partners
University Saint-Joseph of Beirut, Lebanon
Lebanese American University, Lebanon
University of Rouen, France
University of Cadiz, Spain
University of Bologna, Italy
UNIMED, Italy
Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Lebanon

Description
In Lebanon, student representation is, in most cases, based on traditional political divisions, themselves based on regional politics and influences. Students usually identify themselves as belonging to a certain political family, a choice depending mainly on deeply-rooted family habits and traditional affiliations. This situation therefore ignites frequent confrontations between groups of students during student elections and in-between. In some universities, student bodies and representation have consequently been suppressed, in order to avoid such problems and to remain politically neutral. As a consequence, students are provided with rare, or nonexistent, opportunities to organize events, launch clubs and take responsibilities in their lives on campus and in their communities.

The StEER-Leb project therefore aims at the empowerment of Lebanese students and the creation of politically-neutral and democratic student representation bodies in the project’s partner universities, as well as their engagement in their campus and social lives, with the support of European Universities. Within the frame of this project, European and Lebanese universities will exchange their experiences and share good practices in order to enhance such empowerment, engagement and representation of students in Lebanese universities.

Steer-Leb website: http://www.steer-leb.eu/
Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/steerlebproject/
MOOC modules: http://www.steer-leb.eu/toolbox/mooc/ These MOOC modules are prepared to train Students about the main things they need to know about good student representation in universities.