TAM Report | Lebanon | Framing Work-Study Programmes

GENERAL INFORMATION

TAM title: Framing Work-Study Programmes

Type of Event: Webinar

Modality: Online

Country: Lebanon

Dates: 18–19 May 2026

Expert: Christina Theodoraki, Aix-Marseille University, CERGAM (EA 4225)

Participants: Approximately 100 participants (130 registered for Day 1, 101 for Day 2), including university administrators and faculty members, students' representatives, policy makers and education authorities, employers and industry representatives, chambers of commerce, professional bodies and sectoral associations, and researchers interested in higher education policy.

THEMES COVERED

• Work intensity and academic outcomes
• Work–study balance and student well-being
• Employability and skills development
• University-based entrepreneurial ecosystems
• University–industry cooperation and partnership models
• Inclusiveness and equity in higher education
• Policy and institutional frameworks for work-study
• Quality assurance, monitoring, and student protection mechanisms

KEY OUTCOMES

During the workshop, participants:

• Examined the guiding principles and core components of effective work-study programmes, drawing on international and European models
• Analysed the impact of work-study on students' academic performance, well-being, financial sustainability, and employability
• Reviewed how work-study programmes influence curriculum design, teaching methods, learning outcomes, and inclusion strategies
• Heard student perspectives from five Lebanese universities, based on a pre-event survey conducted by students of the American University of Technology
• Discussed existing local work-study practices through case studies from the American University of Beirut, Rafik Hariri University, and Beirut Arab University
• Explored university-based entrepreneurial ecosystems as a mechanism for bridging university–industry cooperation and employability
• Examined existing university–industry cooperation frameworks in Lebanon and the opportunities and obstacles for structured work-study programmes
• Engaged in multi-stakeholder panel discussions involving academia, industry, business associations, and public institutions
• Formulated a set of conclusions and recommendations shared with all participants, HEIs, and the Ministry

OVERVIEW

The two-day online webinar brought together approximately 100 participants from Lebanese higher education institutions, government bodies, industry, and student communities to explore how work-study programmes can be effectively structured to support student success, employability, and social inclusion in Lebanon. The seminar responded to a pressing national context: Lebanon's ongoing economic crisis has led to a significant rise in student employment driven by financial necessity. In the absence of a formal framework, many students engage in informal work unrelated to their field of study, negatively affecting academic performance and well-being. The event aimed to move from this necessity-driven reality toward a more structured, inclusive, and partnership-based approach.

Day 1 focused on work-study constraints and their impact on students. EU expert Christina Theodoraki opened with a keynote on the guiding principles and core components of effective work-study models. Subsequent sessions addressed the student perspective — including a study conducted by AUT students presented by peer students from five Lebanese universities — and then examined how work-study affects programme design, teaching, learning outcomes, and inclusion. European policy models and institutional-level practices were presented as benchmarks, followed by local university case studies and a panel discussion bringing together university leaders and faculty.

Day 2 shifted focus to the academia–industry relationship. A keynote on university-based entrepreneurial ecosystems set the stage for a session on Lebanon's existing cooperation frameworks, featuring higher education experts and industry representatives. A high-level multi-stakeholder panel — including the President of Lebanon's Economic, Social, and Environmental Council, business leaders, and university representatives — discussed university–industry cooperation from a work-study perspective. The webinar concluded with a collective reflection by the NEO, HERE members, and the EU expert, resulting in a set of conclusions and recommendations.

Key lessons from the event included: the importance of European institutional models as a reference point; the need for an integrated, formalised approach to recognition and flexibility involving policy makers, HEIs, and the labour sector; the high relevance of the topic for student wellbeing as demonstrated by the student survey; and the importance of avoiding exploitation by legally recognising and protecting the status of the "student worker."

THE FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY – upcoming

ENHANCING IMPACT: PROPOSED NEXT STEPS

• Establish a national legislative and regulatory framework for work-study programmes, clearly defining the roles, responsibilities, rights, and obligations of universities, employers, and students, with QA mechanisms and student protection measures.
• Develop entrepreneurial work-study pathways allowing students to undertake their work-study experience through creating their own ventures or innovation projects under academic supervision, addressing the shortage of traditional placement opportunities.
• Strengthen collaboration between universities, employers, and the Lebanese diaspora to expand mentoring, internship, and project-based learning opportunities.
• Support SMEs through incentives and simplified procedures to encourage participation in work-study schemes.
• Expand university-based entrepreneurial ecosystems and incubators as alternative work-study environments.
• Introduce concrete legislative measures to recognise experiential learning, adapt social security regulations for student workers, and develop flexible credit and scheduling systems.
• Establish quality assurance measures and alumni tracking systems to monitor the implementation, relevance, and impact of work-study programmes over time.
• Raise broader awareness of the work-study concept among all stakeholder groups to build shared understanding and political will for reform.

RESOURCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL

• Event webpage (agenda, concept note, reader, speakers' bios, presentations, background documents): https://erasmusplus-lebanon.org/event/g4XlNP8K0W/details
• Theodoraki, C., 2024. Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Sustainably. Foundations and Trends® in Entrepreneurship, 20(4), pp. 384–480. https://doi.org/10.1561/0300000128
• Baig, P., Montoya-Martinez, E., Belitski, M., Theodoraki, C. and Godley, A. (eds), 2025. Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Resource Acquisition, Flow and Management. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-96169-4