The Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Internationalization (VRCI) serves as an intermediary between Antonine University (UA) and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), notably its Directorate General of Higher Education (DGHE). He exercises the powers delegated by the Rector to oversee and monitor the implementation of strategic cooperation partnerships, along with the University’s internationalization policy.

Rony Darazi received his PhD in engineering sciences from Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain). His devotion to research in the fields of information security and digital watermarking, digital 2D and 3D image processing, sensor networks, and e-health was matched by his passion for teaching, the latter driving him to take on academic roles. He started his academic career at UA as a research Professor and undertook research and scientific cooperation projects with the National Council for Scientific Research in Lebanon (CNRS-L) and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie, Middle East Office (AUF-BMO). After serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering from 2012 to 2015, he was entrusted with leading the crucial project of accreditation and quality assurance (2015-2017).

Dr. Darazi is currently a professor at the Faculty of Engineering and a member of UA’s research center “TICKET Lab” (Telecommunications, Information, Computing, and Key Enabling Technologies). He is the founder of the European project design and management Unit (EuNIT) at UA and is thus in charge of the European projects. Dr. Darazi is also an international expert at the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres) in France, Chair of the IEEE Computer Society, Lebanon Chapter, and a member of the Scientific Committee at the Order of Engineers and Architects (OEA) of Beirut. He has been a member of the Recognition and Equivalence Committee at the DGCE since October 2019, and is a member of the Technical Committee for the evaluation of Masters programs at the DGES. He has been appointed Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Internationalization in September 2020.

In order to successfully carry out his mission, Dr. Darazi is assisted by the Strategic Orientation Unit for Internationalization and the Office of International Relations, which are, respectively, a participatory and an administrative body.