Saint Joseph University of Beirut
Saint Joseph University of Beirut (Arabic: جامعة القديس يوسف في بيروت; French: Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, abbreviated to and commonly known as USJ) is a private Roman Catholic research university located in Beirut, Lebanon, which was founded in 1875 by French Jesuit missionaries and subsidized by the Government of France during the time when Lebanon was under Ottoman rule.[2][3][4] It is widely recognized as one of the leading and most prestigious academic institutions in Lebanon and Middle East.[5][6][7][8] USJ's roster of graduates includes seven of independent Lebanon's thirteen Presidents, a Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon, two Presidents of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon, Governors of the Banque du Liban, hundreds of legislators and ministers, numerous judges, and high-ranking civil servants, among them Commanders of the Lebanese Armed Forces and executives of the Internal Security Forces.[9] As the oldest and foremost French university in Lebanon, it not only promotes Lebanese culture but also upholds a policy of equal admission opportunity without consideration of ethno-religious affiliations. Furthermore, it advocates trilingual education, offering instruction in Arabic, French, and English.[10] Additionally, it is known in Lebanon and the Middle East for its prominent university hospital, the Hôtel-Dieu de France, and for its prestigious and historical Faculty of Law,[11] modern Lebanon's oldest law school and the first law school in Lebanon since the ancient Roman law school of Berytus.[12]
Motto
Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (Latin)
For the greater glory of God and Excellence of a Nation
Private Roman Catholic Research Non-profit Coeducational Higher Education Institution
1875
- International Association of Universities
- International Federation of Catholic Universities
- Association of Wholly or Partly French-Language Universities
- Association of Arab Universities
- Federation of European Catholic Universities
- Association of Jesuit Higher Education Institutions in Europe and Lebanon
- Euro-Mediterranean Association
- EuroMed Permanent University Forum
Salim Georges Daccache
2,000[1]
540
12,650
920 registered foreign students
5 urban campuses in Beirut, 3 regional university centers in Sidon, Zahlé and Tripoli, Lebanon, and 1 in Dubai
- Lebanese Universities Sports Federation
- UniLeague Championship
The 12,650-student enrollment is served by an academic staff of 2,000 and a support staff of 540, distributed over its 13 faculties, 24 institutes and schools, across five campuses in Beirut, with regional university centers in Sidon, Tripoli, and Zahlé, as well as one foreign center, the USJ-Dubai, located in Dubai, UAE. The student body represents 45 countries.[13]
USJ stands out as a unique university in the Middle East and the Arab world by being the only one to follow the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), which is complemented by its official recognition and compliance with the higher education regulations of Lebanon. USJ has partnerships with over 275 institutions in 42 countries worldwide, including Francophone, Jesuit, and Arab universities.[14]
Saint Joseph University of Beirut has been consistently ranked as the second-best[27] university in Lebanon, and it has a historical rivalry with the top English-speaking university, the American University of Beirut (AUB).[2] It has also established itself as the foremost French university in the nation and ranks among the most prestigious academic institutions in the Middle East.[5][6][7][28]
The University has 13 faculties, 24 institutes and schools, spread out across five campuses in the city of Beirut, as well as regional centers in three other major cities of Lebanon, and a foreign center in Dubai. It is structured as follows:[29]
The Social Sciences Campus (commonly known as "Huvelin" after its founder Paul-Louis Huvelin)[30] is known for its competitive bachelor programs that prepare students to pursue advanced master's degrees in top business and law schools in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, other Member States of the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Canada.
Additionally, USJ proudly showcases prestigious institutions such as the Center for Arab Christian Research and Documentation (French: Centre de documentation et de recherches arabes chrétiennes (CEDRAC)), the Museum of Lebanese Prehistory, the Mim Museum for minerals and fossils and its two theaters: Le Béryte and Théâtre Monnot. USJ houses the Bibliothèque Orientale, one of the oldest and most prominent research libraries of the Near East, and a repository for ancient valuable Oriental books and manuscripts.[31]
The business school has received an "excellent" ranking from Eduniversal.[32]
Saint Joseph University of Beirut campuses include:
The three regional centers are located in Sidon (Southern Lebanon), Zahlé (Beqaa Valley), and Tripoli (Northern Lebanon).
In 2008, Saint Joseph University opened a branch in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Saint Joseph University - Dubai offers a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), a Master of Laws (LLM), and a Master of Arts (MA) in translation. The campus is located in the Dubai International Academic City. The university is accredited by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority of the Emirate of Dubai.
USJ has more than 275 partnerships with foreign universities, most notably with Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It also has more than 200 professors on missions abroad and a large administrative office in Paris, France.
The university belongs to the following associations which directly link it to over a 100 American, Arab, Canadian, and European universities: