Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with QOOT, the first agri-food innovation cluster in Lebanon. NDU President, Fr. Bechara Khoury, and Mrs. Nadine Khoury, President of QOOT, met for the signing on the opening day of the Agri-Food Innovation Days 2022 (AFID) in Beirut.
Founded in 2019, QOOT is geared towards enhancing the agri-food sector in Lebanon by collaborating with Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), multinational companies, investment entities, and other institutions. Its structure is built on entrepreneurship, food innovation, and cluster management.
Dr. Jessy El Hayek, the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences (FNHS) at NDU, cited the importance of joining both parties’ resources for the sake of strengthening the academia-industry linkage, especially during the present economic crisis. This will help focus research efforts on finding solutions to real-world problems, such as food safety and sustainability. The MoU further aims to raise awareness surrounding the agri-food sector, where the research and development potential of the University will come into play.
Fr. Khoury emphasized the importance of the signing and the University’s ongoing initiatives for future collaborations: “The idea of an MoU gives the opportunity to look outward; it means you are ready to go on an adventure, explore other areas, and breathe new oxygen.”
The MoU allows the students of the FNHS, particularly those of the Food Safety and Quality Management program, to observe the industry first-hand and enter the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Students will also benefit from projects, research funding, and internships through QOOT. Dr. El Hayek adds that “students from other faculties and programs could potentially benefit, such as those in Chemical Engineering.”
The collaborative efforts of NDU and QOOT, therefore, aim to establish a framework where the Lebanese agri-food sector can thrive, despite the obstacles presented by economic hardships.