Ms. Christina Najem, Administrative Assistant at the Vice Rectorate for Cooperation and Internationalization and the Office of International Relations at Antonine University (UA), participated in the 15th International Week hosted by the Polytechnic Institute of Santarém (IPS), Portugal. The event brought together international relations officers, faculty members, and administrative staff from universities across multiple countries.
Held under the theme “Internationalization for Peace: The Transformative Role of Universities,” the International Week explored the role of higher education institutions in fostering dialogue, cooperation, and intercultural understanding in times of global uncertainty.
The opening session featured a panel discussion that included Prof. Rony Darazi, UA’s Vice Rector for Cooperation and Internationalization, who offered valuable insights on the role of universities in promoting peace globally. He also highlighted UA’s resilience in overcoming challenges in Lebanon while reinforcing bonds among its students, especially during difficult times, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to quality education, partnerships, peace, and social inclusion.
The program also included strategic panels on internationalization policies and the PROFFORMANCE+ Assessment Tool, alongside workshops dedicated to European Alliance such as ACE2-EU and approaches to curriculum internationalization.
As part of the visit, Ms. Najem also had the opportunity to meet Jean Paul Hamalaya, a UA student from the Faculty of Sport Sciences currently undertaking a study mobility at IPS through the Erasmus+ programme.
Through this participation, UA continues to strengthen its international engagement and expand opportunities for academic cooperation, mobility, and intercultural exchange, in line with the internationalization of higher education.