The Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Dr. Elie Hadchiti, who holds a PhD in Physical Biochemistry with a specialization in Radiobiology and Cancer Sciences from Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University in France in 2009, and holds an international patent related to the development of a new strategy for treating cancer patients, indicated in the talk show “Interview” on Voice of Lebanon and vdl24, that the Lebanese University has recently gone through a difficult period, but it is capable of facing challenges and has an academic presence and a respectable ranking in Lebanon, the Arab world, and globally.

He explained that according to the latest QS rankings, the Lebanese University has advanced several points globally and ranked 515th. In Lebanon, it maintained its position and excelled in certain specializations it prides itself on, as well as maintaining second place in terms of professional and academic reputation of its graduates.

He pointed out that despite all crises Lebanon has gone through in recent years, which have affected its budget, the Lebanese University has not lost its enthusiasm in pursuing its mission.

He added that the academic staff works hard and persistently to complete and develop its research, and that the university supports scientific research to achieve valuable results because research gives the university a global position through its importance and impact on Lebanese society. Even if there is a partnership with other countries, the scientific and practical impact is the most important.

He stressed the importance of cooperation between the Lebanese University and the Ministries of Public Health and Economy, saying that this cooperation has led to the amendment of standards used in many references and ministries and has contributed to improving policies related to food testing.

He explained that reaching second place is linked to the quantity of research completed, its importance, and its societal impact, in addition to the fact that some research takes time depending on the field of study, the number of researchers, and the cooperation between team members, which played a major role.

He explained that the university contributes to its own development, maintains its academic standards, and involves research in the academic track, meaning that students play a social role therein.

He pointed out that the results of the research have an impact at the national level through various awareness-raising measures and policies. The university also involves multiple age groups in the research and complements it at the Arab level through cooperation with Arab universities.

He said that the university's ranking boosts its self-confidence and consolidates its position and presence. It has cooperation agreements with a number of universities. As for the master's programs in the Faculty of Public Health, students participate in research, and when it is published, they have a clear impact in Lebanon and abroad.

He pointed out that failure to comply with food safety standards affects citizens' health, which is sacred, and that numerous measures have been taken in this regard.

He added that the university has research laboratories in a number of faculties, in Hadath, Fanar, and North campuses, which are being developed. An agreement has been reached to establish a laboratory affiliated with the Ministry of Public Health to test medicines, which is very significant, as the development of laboratories contributes to the advancement of research.

Dr. Maha Hoteit, a professor and researcher at the Faculty of Public Health – Branch 1, said that Scimago ranking is a global ranking that gives credibility to our research and reinforces our presence as part of the Lebanese University family, which seeks to develop public policies.

She added that scientific publication is important, but what is more important is that this research be translated into policies and laws.

She explained that two months ago, we conducted an interview about a draft law on trans fats, a topic that has been in the works since 2020, when the Minister of Economy issued a decision requiring local factories to monitor the amount of trans fats in food, given their link to heart disease.

She pointed out that consumption of these fats has increased significantly among young people, and although research is constantly being published, efforts are being integrated between academic institutions and relevant ministries to communicate these findings to the relevant authorities and translate them into practical policies and standards.

She explained that, within the framework of studies on mycotoxins, the Lebanese Standards Authority has begun to take this research into account and is seeking to determine the threshold value that should not be exceeded to ensure food product safety. This cooperation between scientific research and official institutions is an important step toward enhancing food safety and protecting consumer health.

She pointed out that the limited resources available for funding research at the Lebanese University prompted us to seek financial support from other sources.

She praised the Minister of Sports, who launched the ministry's strategy, emphasizing that the Lebanese University is the only one working on athletes' health in a scientific and systematic manner.

She noted that the university worked on a food awareness project that was published in Arab countries, in which about 18,000 people participated, and from which participating countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon benefited.

She explained that Qatar is currently working to introduce nutritional awareness into educational curricula, and that there will be cooperation in Saudi Arabia with an entity that supports the introduction of this awareness into curricula as well.

Date of interview: 17 November 2025

Source: Voice of Lebanon