During the week of October 13, 2025, Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) joined institutions around the world in celebrating ErasmusDays, an international six-day event highlighting the impact and opportunities of the Erasmus+ program. Each year, ErasmusDays bring together students, educators, professionals, and citizens to showcase projects, share experiences, and promote the wide-ranging benefits of international mobility and cooperation.
As part of this global celebration, NDU’s Office of International Relations (OIR) organized a series of activities on campus. On October 14, the OIR hosted a student exchange awareness session featuring four exchange students who shared their personal mobility experiences and insights. Later in the week, on October 16, the OIR held a full-day event dedicated to faculty members, aimed at encouraging greater faculty engagement with Erasmus+ opportunities and fostering peer learning through the exchange of knowledge and mobility experiences.
The latter was held in presence of NDU President Father Bechara Khoury; Vice President of University Advancement Dr. Najib Metni; Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Michel el Hayek; Dr. Antoine Farhat, Advisor to the President for Presidential Affairs; Majed Bou Hadir, Director of the Office of Public Affairs and Protocol; as well as all deans and several professors. Guests included Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Rima Karami Akkary represented by Professor Hiyam Eshak, President of the Center for Educational Research and Development (CRDP); Minister of Culture Ghassan Salame represented by Dr. Ali Samad, Director General of the Ministry; H.E. Ambassador Roman Goriainov, Ambassador of Ukraine; H.E. Ambassador Milan Trojanovic, Embassy of Serbia represented by Sasa Ojdanic, Chargé d’Affaires; H.E. Ambassador Sandra de Waele, EU, represented by Clivio Casali, Education Officer at the EU Delegation; and Dr. Aref Alsoufi, Director of Erasmus Lebanon Office with two of his team members.
Following Professor Eshak’s remarks—where she underscored the Ministry’s vision of ensuring “equitable access to education, inclusion, and social cohesion” and commended Lebanon’s strong ties with the European Union—Fr. Bechara Khoury took the stage, stating: “Through Erasmus+ and our international partnerships, we have opened our doors and hearts to the world, fostering the values that define us.” He expressed his gratitude to the European Union, the National Erasmus+ Office, and all local and international partners for their continuous support. Casali then highlighted the remarkable resilience of the Lebanese education system, which he described as evident in every international engagement, reflecting Lebanon’s “huge potential.”
The presentations began with Dr. Michel El Hayek, who outlined the numerous advantages of international collaboration for both institutions and students, emphasizing the importance of fostering stronger inter-university cooperation to cultivate “a generation of globally minded citizens.”
Next, Dr. Aref Alsoufi commended NDU’s active participation in the Erasmus+ program, having taken part in seven projects out of thirty-three nationwide, and highlighted the program’s impact in Lebanon across seven key areas, including curriculum development and employability. He and the NEO team explored the various opportunities offered by ERASMUS+ to faculty and went over the priority areas, highlighting challenges and current trends.
Following a networking coffee break, Dr. Antoine Farhat presented the various Erasmus+ projects currently implemented at NDU through its research centers, namely UPGRADE, SWATH, and COPTER.
The afternoon sessions were dedicated to NDU professors who shared their rich and diverse testimonials following their international experiences:
- Dr. Maya El Hajj, Chairperson of the Department of English and Translation and Associate Professor, participated in two Erasmus+ programs: one at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and another at the University of Copenhagen. Her first trip introduced her to new teaching methodologies, while the second exposed her to a completely different educational system, one that fosters well-rounded and informed students. “I also noticed that NDU students who spend a semester abroad come back more mature and more open,” she added.
- Dr. Nadine Hindi, Associate Professor of Architecture, took part in three Erasmus+ programs at the University of Lisbon, Politecnico di Torino, and University of Porto. She acknowledged the OIR’s dedicated efforts in facilitating such opportunities and spoke about the diverse studio cultures and impressive architectural designs she encountered, from heritage buildings in Torino to modern structures in Porto. This collaboration was mutually beneficial and inspirational, as fellows from Lisbon later visited the Ramez G. Chagoury Faculty of Architecture, Arts and Design for workshops and courses. Dr. Hindi also noted that her presence abroad gave more support to NDU students attending a parallel program.
- Dr. Ziad Fahed, Professor at the Department of Religious, Cultural, and Philosophical Studies, had the chance to visit an old brewery transformed into a university: the University College Copenhagen (KP). He described stepping out of his comfort zone as one of the most valuable aspects of his experience, which inspired him to introduce the Human Library concept at NDU. The exchange was reciprocal, as KP colleagues later visited NDU to share and compare teaching methodologies.
Dr. May Akl, Director of the Office of International Relations and Master of Ceremonies for the event, highlighted the importance of internationalization as a core pillar of NDU’s mission. She emphasized that NDU’s participation, alongside sister universities, in the September EAIE 2025 Conference and Exhibition in Gothenburg, Sweden, the largest higher-education event in Europe, was “an act of faith” and a testament to the University’s unwavering belief in the future. It reflected NDU’s determination to keep moving forward, against all odds.
This educational day concluded the whole week’s celebrations, ending on a series of valid questions raised by faculty and Erasmus+ staff, triggering more interest and raising awareness on further topics. With the launch of the new Erasmus+ cohort due in mid-November 2025, NDU remains committed to strengthening its partnership with the European Union, ensuring that its students and faculty not only travel abroad, but also return enriched, inspired, and transformed by their experiences.