The Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences (FNHS) at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) is proud to announce that the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) has reviewed and approved the initial packet for the Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) bachelor program, confirming that the program demonstrates potential for compliance with NAACLS Standards.
Following this important milestone, the program now officially proceeds to the Self-Study phase, a critical step toward NAACLS accreditation and alignment with internationally recognized standards in medical laboratory education. As part of this record, NAACLS has approved Dr. Samar Merhi, Assistant Professor at the FNHS as Program Director, recognizing her academic leadership, professional expertise, and commitment to quality education.
When asked about the reasons for initiating this global accreditation, Dr. Merhi discussed how this decision reflects NDU’s strategic commitment to academic excellence, international benchmarking, and continuous quality improvement. NAACLS is globally recognized as the gold standard in clinical laboratory sciences education, with only a limited number of accredited programs outside the United States. By entering this pathway, NDU ensures that its curriculum, learning outcomes, and clinical training meet the highest international standards.
This achievement directly translates into students’ work, experience, and career paths. As the program moves into the NAACLS Self-Study phase, students benefit from strengthened curriculum design, competency mapping, and continuous quality improvement aligned with international expectations for entry-level practice. This results in clearer learning outcomes, enhanced assessment strategies, and reinforced integration of classroom instruction with laboratory and clinical training under close supervision and strong advising. While the program is not yet accredited, the accreditation pathway supports graduate readiness and competitiveness for the healthcare workforce in Lebanon and the region, with future opportunities for certification and professional mobility depending on final accreditation outcomes and applicable external requirements.
In terms of ensuring a suitable learning environment for everyone, NDU offers a range of facilities designed to meet international accreditation requirements. A cornerstone of this environment is LABTER (Laboratory for Biomedical Testing Education and Research), a flagship teaching and research facility that supports hands-on training, skills development, applied research, and exposure to modern laboratory practices.
The Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences is distinguished by its student-centered culture, characterized by:
- Close supervision during laboratory and clinical training
- An open-door policy with accessible administrators, advisors, and faculty
- Strong academic advising and mentoring
- A friendly and inclusive environment that values student feedback
- Active listening and implementation of constructive ideas
Earning approval from NAACLS demonstrates the faculty’s and NDU’s relentless quest for advanced research, upgrading health knowledge for both experts and students. With excellence as one of its values, NDU sets the path for more breakthroughs in Medical Laboratory Sciences.