Dear Reader,
On 24–27 June 2015, the GCHERA 8th World Conference ‘Universities’ global challenge: nutritional security and environmental sustainability for human health’ was held in Kaslik, Lebanon for the first time in the MENA region. The conference was organized by the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FAFS) of the Holy Spirit University (USEK), which is with nearly 8500 students, one the largest universities in Lebanon. GCHERA 2015 did bring a unique perspective for the region in this time of world conflict reigned by poverty, malnutrition and abuse of natural resources. The major thrust behind this conference was Fr. Dr. Hady Mahfouz, President of USEK. Thanks to Fr. Dr. Joseph Wakim for his valuable support and attention.
USEK is a private Catholic higher education institution founded by the Lebanese Maronite Order (LMO) in 1938. It is, thus, the first university which was established upon a Lebanese initiative and by Lebanese citizens, the LMO monks.
Located in a Middle-Eastern milieu, and being a national institution, USEK provides university teaching, in conformity with the requirements of the labor market and in close association with scientific research. Thanks to an extremely dense network of national and international relations, it plays a key role in training highly qualified researchers and professionals.
USEK’s international dimension is also revealed through several projects, seminars and other cultural activities, which USEK is committed to, in partnership with foreign higher education institutions. These exchanges and joint works are the fruit of 81 cooperation conventions signed between USEK and foreign institutions among which the Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agriculture and Life Sciences (GCHERA) which represents more than 600 universities worldwide. The GCHERA Higher Education Associations are brought together in support of a mission to encourage mutual understanding and global co-operation among higher education associations and their constituent member institutions in supporting innovation, and to provide within the global context leadership in education, research and outreach in agricultural and life sciences.
During the two scientific days on the 25 and 26 of June, GCHERA 2015 brought together distinguished speakers, presidents of universities, deans, ministers, governmental personalities, CEOs, scientists and students from Lebanon and around the globe. The GCHERA 2015’s hosting was therefore very rewarding since colleagues from different backgrounds (Science, Academia, Government, Industry, International Organizations, etc.) gathered, thought, collaborated and established a network to find the most suitable solutions for the Agricultural and Life Sciences emerging challenges.
On the first day, the conference was opened with the inaugural session. The first address was given by the Vice President of GCHERA 2015 and Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FAFS) at USEK, Dr Lara Hanna-Wakim, who warmly welcomed speakers from 17 different countries and asserted the dynamism of Lebanese citizens to be a role model who can make a change and be catalysts to initiate social, educational and environmental changes. Furthermore she stated that the conference covered four major themes: (a) Sustainable agriculture: feeding 9 billion with a smaller environmental footprint, (b) Innovation through agricultural food system entrepreneurship, (c) The role of education and research: from food security to nutritional security and (d) The role of nutrition in transforming health care from a disease to a health-based system.
The second address was given by GCHERA’s President Dr John Kennelly who hoped that holding this conference in Lebanon will be a catalyst to engage more academic institutions from the MENA region, and he also stressed on the role of the FAFS as a pilot project in the region for modernization of agricultural universities curricula. These speeches were followed by a breathtaking contribution by Dr Franklin Chang Diaz former NASA astronaut and record holder for the most spaceflights, who explained his philosophy and perspective on the Earth’s anthropization using pictures from space. Then an address by the United Nations Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador for West Asia, Mr Ragheb Alama, shed light on the importance role of human in saving the Earth, the only planet we have.
The final address was given by the President of USEK Father Dr Hady Mahfouz who invited presidents of universities to study resolutions to improve curricula in their institutions to make them responsive to the national and regional needs.
An Interlude then followed with the Lebanese Folkloric dance by the internationally renowned Lebanese dancing group, RIMAH. The opening ceremony was concluded by a cocktail reception.
Over the two consecutive days, the conference showed what I have experienced earlier at GCHERA 2011 at l’Institut Polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais, France where eminent functionaries are being involved in sessions. Not only was this the case in the four plenary sessions, but also in the 36 sessions, in which speakers shared their knowledge and experiences with colleagues from different backgrounds and cultures. They all gathered and engaged collaborative discussions to find the most suitable solutions for the agricultural and life sciences emerging challenges. The urge for universities to work hand in hand with public, private sectors and NGOs for curricula improvement, research, projects and policies was stressed.
Several social events were also organized by FAFS during GCHERA 2015’s World Conference to allow guests to meet in a friendly atmosphere.
The Pin Me Activity was organized on the 26th of June, with the active participation of His Excellency Mr Elias Abu Saab, Lebanese Minister of Education and Higher Education, during which each speaker pinned a flag of his country under an old olive tree in USEK’s garden.
On the evening of the 26th of June, a cheese and wine tasting organized by ADYAR, a cooperative from the LMO, offered the first certified organic Lebanese wine, and transported everyone into the fascinating world of Lebanese traditions.
On Saturday the 27th of June, a touristic sightseeing day also allowed the guests to discover Lebanon and its remarkable hospitality. The sightseeing tour started with the famous Jeita Grotto and its unique interconnected caves, then continued to Mount Harissa with a panoramic view of the Bay of Jounieh, and ended in the beautiful Phoenician city of Byblos for Lunch and touristic visit of the Roman Medieval port and citadel.
At the end of the second scientific day, a closing session was organized. A USEK students’ panel interacted with GCHERA Board and speakers. Fruitful concluding remarks therefore combined the point of views of presidents, deans, CEOs and students.
The Conference outcomes address the concerns of our future in 2050, the threats of our existence due to our consumption, production practices and depletion of natural resources. Although the millennium goals have set some expectations to solve this situation, the truth is that we are far from solving our already complex challenges.
Based on an analysis of the content descriptions and lead papers, I came up with the following recommendations:
Provide not only knowledge and vision for students in Higher Education, but most importantly ethics and values. Ethics and values should run across the curriculum not only in courses but with a behavioral example. We need a more constructive approach where graduates grow with sensible social responsibility, and awareness for justice. They will learn how to work in dignity, and will undoubtedly contribute in building an ethical word;
Improve the quality of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: move to a student-centered learning environment which encourages students to become independent learners and ultimately to be in charge of their own education and deliver graduates who are equipped to be solution providers in dealing with the global great challenges that twenty-first century has placed before us; challenges of achieving nutritional security and environmental sustainability for human health;
Reinforce the leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship capacities of our students: rather than making them follow, we should making them lead instructions, constantly make them take responsible decisions, and show them that learning is a lifelong engagement;
Develop a progressive assessment framework that identifies the knowledge, skills and competences that will be assessed for each level of education by bridging the gap between academia, private and public sectors;
Undertake a detailed situational analysis of the education sector in Lebanon by reviewing various commission reports, other relevant policy and legal documents, benchmarking with good practices from countries with national and county governments and also received submissions by various NGOs and stakeholders;
Initiate social, environmental and educational changes in our institutions and make them responsive to the national and regional needs. This could be achieved by combining efforts from all Lebanese Agricultural Universities along with governmental bodies: Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, Lebanese Ministry of Industry and all other concerned ministries;
Present USEK as a role model by taking the lead in spreading the world in other Agricultural Universities in the MENA region. Financial resources are needed as well as the support of other institutions, government, NGOs and private sector.
The question that we, academics, must all raise is: How do universities remain sustainable in such a great and sustained chaos?
For the rest, I wish you lots of pleasure with the articles in this issue.