When news happens LAU is there. That’s one of the mantras that the media relations teams for LAU have in both Lebanon and the United States. While the university has always done an excellent job of staying above the fray and navigating through the sectarian or partisan divides that make up much of the political landscape in Lebanon, faculty members and administrators are often called upon by members of the media to provide insight and shed light on challenging and confusing political situations.

 

Last month, as the unity government of Lebanon collapsed professors Sami Baroudi, Imad Salamey, Bassel Salloukh, Habib Malik and others were seen extensively in the media helping to analyze and explain the situation to audiences both locally and internationally. Media outlets in the United States such at National Public Radio, ABC, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, with the assistance of LAU’s media relations team, connected with LAU experts for analysis of the situation. Additionally, Arabic-language and English-language television, radio, internet and print outlets from throughout the world—from the Daily Star to Al Anwar to The National to the Financial Times—utilized the expertise of LAU professors in recent weeks to help explain the political situation.

 

This sort of exposure helps the university build its credibility worldwide as an important center of knowledge in an important region of the world. As events swirl LAU’s media relations teams, led by Mr. Christian Oussi in Lebanon and Mr. Greg Houle in the United States, are able to reach out to their media contacts to offer experts from LAU who can help provide meaning to unfolding events. This valuable exposure cannot be overestimated when it comes to building the university’s stature.