The history of the Faculty of Sport Sciences (FSS) began when Fr. Elie Abdel Masih established the Club Antonin Sportif (CAS), which laid the foundation for what would later become the Faculty. The CAS had clear objectives: to train champions, promote Antonine values through physical activities, and contribute to the development of sports in Lebanon through physical education. The evolution of the FSS at Antonine University (UA) can be divided into three periods.
First Period: Institute of Physical and Sports Education
The Institute of Physical and Sports Education was established in 1996. Its objective was to attract athletes and sports enthusiasts and develop a new generation of physical education and sport educators. Serge Raffi, the Institute’s first director, formed its first body of instructors, bringing together both national and international instructors.
On February 6, 1998, the Lebanese Ministry of Education legalized the Teaching Diploma in Physical Education and Sport. In 2008, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth and Sport also legalized a University Diploma in Sports Coaching and the Diplôme d’Études Approfondies (DEA) en sciences du sport.
Second Period: Reorganization
A new era for the Faculty began on September 20, 2013. As part of a reorganization required by the Ministry of Education, the Institute of Physical Education and Sport had to adopt the LMD system (Bachelor’s - Master’s - Doctorate), although the Doctoral Degree is not yet available.
Following the reorganization, the Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education and Sport comprised two common academic years followed by a third year of specialization. Students could specialize in one of three fields of study: Sports Training, Sports Management, or Motricity Education and Adapted Physical Activities. UA also offers a Teaching Diploma in Physical Education and Sport, as well as a Master of Arts in Sport Sciences.
Third Period: Faculty of Sport Sciences
In 2016, the Institute of Physical Education and Sport became the Faculty of Sport Sciences. The program became available at the Nabi Ayla–Zahle Campus in 2015 and at the Mejdlaya–Zgharta Campus in 2018.
After offering the European University Diploma for Physical Preparation in partnership with Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (France), the Faculty introduced the MBA in Sports Management program in partnership with École Supérieure de Gestion Paris (France).
In 2023, the FSS introduced the University Diploma in Mountain Guide and Outdoor Activities, the first program of its kind in Lebanon, and launched its scientific laboratory, Laboratoire des 3S : Sport, Santé, Société. Partnerships with international and local institutions are a key part of the Faculty’s strategy, enhancing both its research development and its visibility within the scientific community.