Antonine University (UA) hosted a convivial gathering and honorary dinner at Our Lady of the Seeds Monastery in honor of Dr. Mazen El Khatib, following his appointment as Director General of Higher Education at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE).
Held in the presence of UA Rector Fr. Michel Saghbiny, Secretary General Fr. Jean Al Alam, Bursar Fr. Joe Bou Jaoude, and the University’s vice rectors, the evening gathered prominent figures from Lebanon’s academic, educational, and public spheres to celebrate Dr. El Khatib and recognize the national and academic responsibility entrusted to him at a pivotal time for higher education in Lebanon.
Among those attending were former Minister of Education and Higher Education Judge Abbas Halabi; former Minister Mr. Damianos Kattar; President of the Lebanese University Prof. Bassam Badran; former Rector of Saint Joseph University of Beirut Prof. Fr. Salim Daccache, S.J.; Regional Director of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie – Middle East Dr. Jean-Noël Baléo; and President of Université La Sagesse Prof. Joseph Saab.
From Academic Experience to National Responsibility
Dr. El Khatib was formally appointed Director General of Higher Education by the Lebanese Council of Ministers on July 9, 2026, following more than four years of managing the affairs of the Directorate General of Higher Education since March 2022.
His appointment builds on an extensive academic and institutional journey. A Full Professor of Chemistry at the Lebanese University, Dr. El Khatib served as Dean of its Faculty of Education from 2005 to 2010. He also advised several Ministers of Education and Higher Education on administrative and educational matters and contributed to the Higher Education Reform Experts team established through the European Union-funded Tempus and Erasmus+ programs from 2008 to 2015.
Bringing together experience in academia, institutional leadership, and educational policy, his journey has engaged with questions central to Lebanon’s higher-education sector, from academic quality and governance to regulation and national educational policy.
An Investment in People and Lebanon’s Future
Welcoming Dr. El Khatib and the guests, Fr. Saghbiny described the gathering as an occasion to celebrate the appointment while expressing UA’s appreciation for the national and academic responsibility entrusted to Dr. El Khatib.
His words also carried a personal dimension. Reflecting on a relationship built on mutual respect and close knowledge of Dr. El Khatib’s commitment to educational and academic affairs, Fr. Saghbiny expressed the University’s confidence in his ability to carry this responsibility, particularly at a time when safeguarding the standing of Lebanese higher education, upholding academic standards, and preserving society’s trust in its universities remain essential.
At the heart of the Rector’s message was a broader understanding of what higher education represents: “Higher education is not merely about institutions, programs, and degrees; it is an investment in people and in the future of society and the state.”
From this perspective, Fr. Saghbiny described universities as spaces not only for knowledge, research, and dialogue, but also for forming citizens, cultivating values and responsibility, and strengthening confidence in Lebanon’s future.
He also highlighted the role of the Directorate General of Higher Education in accompanying universities, strengthening educational quality, supporting research and innovation, protecting academic standards, and reinforcing cooperation between the public sector and university institutions, with students at the heart of these efforts.
Building the Future of Higher Education Together
Beyond celebrating an appointment, the evening carried a broader message: the future of higher education cannot be built by any one institution alone.
Fr. Saghbiny reaffirmed UA’s belief in cooperation and complementarity among universities, the MEHE, and the wider academic community. Addressing Dr. El Khatib, he expressed the University’s readiness to remain a constructive partner and to contribute to initiatives serving the Directorate General and higher education in Lebanon.
The gathering itself reflected this spirit. By bringing university leaders, educators, public officials, and partners around the same table, it became an occasion not only to honor Dr. El Khatib, but also to affirm a shared responsibility for the quality, credibility, and future of Lebanese higher education.
As Dr. El Khatib takes on this responsibility, UA extends its congratulations and wishes him success in his mission, while reaffirming its commitment to cooperation that places students, academic quality, and the future of higher education in Lebanon at the center.