Antonine University (UA) aims at supporting the unwavering commitment of its faculty members to student success and helping them to develop a culture of quality teaching, as they play a pivotal role in shaping the student experience and enabling UA to attain its educational objectives. The ability of the University to fulfill its mission and to execute its vision largely depends on the contribution and participation of the whole community in decision-making processes. That is why UA seeks to strengthen shared governance, to promote a sense of shared responsibility and to encourage transparency, by establishing frequent communication channels between the different faculties and the governing bodies.

For this purpose, a faculty seat on the UA Council is held by the representative of full-time faculty members. Elections are thus conducted in accordance with the established rules and regulations, noting that the electors shall be the voting members (eligible full-time instructors) of all faculties. The elected member takes office on the first day following the election and serves a one-year term. UA strives to maintain this seat as it firmly believes that the duties of faculty members extend beyond teaching and research, for they truly participate in the stewardship of the University. Its focus is to foster open communication, establish avenues for discussions and dialogue that lead to informed decisions pertaining to the University's direction, keep all the members apprised of any changes that will affect the community, and allow them to express their views and raise their concerns at the right time and on the right occasion.

In light of this, we would like to offer our sincere congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth Sfeir, who has been named by acclamation to this position on Wednesday, October 27, 2021, and whose devotion to the institution and relentless efforts have contributed to the betterment of the University. Dr. Sfeir is a human resource consultant and higher education specialist. Her research interests span across a range of areas including the wasta model, human resource management practices, employee engagement, gender entrepreneurship and its impact on firms. Born and raised in Canada, Dr. Sfeir moved to Australia to complete her tertiary studies. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in Marketing from Griffith University in 1996, a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management (HRM) from Central Queensland University (CQUniversity) in 2009 and a PhD in HRM from CQUUniversity Australia in 2016. Dr. Sfeir has a demonstrated history of working in the higher education sector and was able to rise to leadership positions. She took on the role of Assistant Dean at the Faculty of Business Administration at Antonine University, in addition to fulfilling her responsibilities as Head of its Department of Marketing and Management over the last years. Dr. Elizabeth currently serves as a human resources specialist, an academic advisor and a full-time Faculty member at UA, is an eCareer coach at Griffith University and the founder of Hrblueprint.