by knews —The American University of Beirut is officially opening its doors beginning next year with a campus in Paphos, according to Paphos Mayor Phedonas Phedonos. In statements on Wednesday, Mr. Phaedon said that the new University will mark a new era for the city of Paphos. Construction of the new campus is expected to start in June or July of this year, with a cost of 29 million euros. New enrollments are expected to begin in September 2023. According to the Mayor, the Paphos campus of the American University of Beirut will accommodate approximately 2 thousand students and will offer three faculties, computer science, economics and business and the School of Civil Engineering. In his statements, the Mayor thanked the government for its support of the project while announcing that the agreement with AUB will be officially formalized in a ceremony this Friday in which the Mayor, the President of Cyprus and the US Deputy Secretary of State are expected to be present.
Founded in 1866, the American University of Beirut bases its educational philosophy, standards, and practices on the American liberal arts model of higher education. It was granted institutional accreditation in June 2004 by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in the United States which was reaffirmed in 2016. AUB Beirut currently offers more than 130 programs for bachelor’s, master’s, MD, and Ph.D. degrees.
Background about the decision:
by businessnews.com.lb — The American University of Beirut (AUB) is planning to open a campus in Paphos (Cyprus) in the next two years, pending academic accreditation approval. The project is part of the AUB’s regional expansion strategy that was approved more than two years ago. The expansion will be financed by AUB’s own resources and by endowments from host countries and donors. Other campuses are also being planned, one in Dubai, and a second one in another Arab country in the region.
The process for each location is moving at its own pace since each country has its own conditions for granting a university license such as the minimum number of faculties that must be opened. The university is holding on the announcement until it receives all appropriate authorizations, after which exact timing and capacity will be determined. AUB, which currently operates from a single campus, also plans to expand into Africa.
The main campus will remain in Beirut and its role will not be diminished by the new expansion. Denying rumors of a move earlier this year, AUB President Fadlo Khuri said: “Under my tenure as a president, there are no plans to relocate AUB and it is unlikely in the longer run. AUB has deep roots in Beirut and Lebanon formed over more than 154 years and we have endured many crises here, nothing will change our commitment to serve this country and its people.” AUB never closed during the long years of the Civil War. In addition to its main campus on Bliss Street, it had run classes in auxiliary locations.
