Being the first and oldest college of the University, The College of Business Administration (CBA) at Rafik Hariri University was established in 1999. Since then, the College has grown significantly and presently offers seven undergraduate business programs in Accounting, Business Computing, Finance and Banking, Human Resources Management, Management, Marketing, Marketing and Advertising. In addition, the College offers a graduate MBA program in general business administration. Moreover, the CBA takes pride in being the first in Lebanon and the Arab World to offer a graduate MBA program with specialization in Oil and Gas Management. The faculty is active in applied research in a number of business and related areas, with a focus on seeking solutions for actual community problems and issues. To that extent and in partnership with governmental entities, civil society, trade associations and the private sector, the College is actively engaged into ongoing outreach activities and initiatives designed to support community development and prosperity. Finally, the CBA distinguishes itself by its systematic COOP Work Experience program which allows its students to gain real world working experiences, and its Community Engagement Experience program which enables the students to develop leadership skills via actual community service.
In line with the university strategic plan and in order to advance toward the accomplishment of its mission and vision, the college has adopted a set of four strategic goals. These goals span our core strategy and open up the potential for new and enhanced activity on the part of students, staff, faculty, and the college as whole.
These four strategic goals correspond to the four core pillars of the university strategic plan. This alignment ensures on one hand that the college is well positioned to positively contribute toward the achievement of the university’s mission. On the other hand, the college is able to serve the best educational interests of its stakeholders via moving forward toward the attainment of its mission and vision.
As the College’s mission statement states, we aim to transform the lives of our students through graduate and undergraduate business education. Furthermore, the College’s mission specifies the expected resulting outcome of this transformation as graduates capable of becoming agents of human progress.
Accordingly, the general learning goals of the College are to equip its students with the values, knowledge, competencies and skills needed to produce a positive impact in whatever they do in life.
In particular, these values, knowledge, competencies and skills are as follows:
The mission statement of the College of Business Administration, at Rafik Hariri University, specifically states, “We aim to foster an educational culture and environment of innovation and collaboration which enables the development of leaders and professionals, capable and willing to become agents of principled, ethical and socially responsible human progress.”
Moreover, one of the College’s core values is Ethical and Socially Responsible Conduct, whereby the College commits to “exercise all efforts possible to ensure the awareness and practice of ethical and socially responsible norms.”
In line with the College’s commitment to ethical conduct, as expressed in its mission statement and core values, this code of ethical conduct establishes guidelines for those acting as part of the College including administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
This is not meant to define specific behavior but rather to communicate and clarify expectations of proper professional and student conduct.
Those acting on behalf of or as part of the College of Business Administration, at Rafik Hariri University, are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that will uphold the law, adhere to university policies and regulations, and conform to the College’s guidelines of ethical conduct.
Members of the College community (administrators, staff, faculty, students) should demonstrate:
In the event of a suspected violation of this code, members of the College community are responsible to bring that up to the attention of the appropriate individual or office. If a college community member, including administrators, faculty, staff, and students is uncertain of appropriate ethical conduct or suspects a violation of this code; he or she should actively seek guidance by contacting a member of the faculty, a department chair, the dean or other appropriate administrators.
In the event of a grievance concerning suspected violation of this code, college community members shall report in a written statement the grievance to a full time faculty member, or an advisor, or a department chair or the dean or the vice president for academic affairs.
Once a grievance is reported, it shall be forwarded in writing to the dean, who will initiate an investigation and convene a three-member committee of himself/herself, one full time faculty member and one chair. The committee will meet, deliberate about the pertinent facts and issue a recommendation to the vice president for academic affairs. Committee recommendations may range from issuing a documented verbal warning to dismissal from the college.
In the event that the grievance is reported to the vice president for academic affairs, he/she shall determine the appropriate process to address the grievance.
Awareness and Communication of the Code.
This code of ethical conduct shall be printed in the form of a letter, which shall be signed by all college community members, upon joining the college. The signature must clearly indicate that the member read the code, understood it and agreed to conform to it. The letter will be maintained in the member’s file in the college.
Moreover, this code shall be printed in the form of a poster, which shall be posted in various locations in the college; and posted on the college’s section of the university’s website.
Rafik Hariri University’s College of Business Administration (CBA) is a candidate for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
Founded in 1988, and recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), ACBSP is a leading specialized accreditation body for business education worldwide supporting, celebrating, and rewarding teaching excellence. The association embraces the virtues of teaching excellence and continuous quality improvement.
ACBSP accredits business, accounting, and business-related programs at the associate, baccalaureate, master, and doctorate degree levels worldwide.
By undergoing this rigorous accreditation, the College of Business Administration at Rafik Hariri University is demonstrating its commitment to and implementation of distinguished business education, teaching excellence and continuous quality improvement.
This section of the website contains below select records, evidence and documentation to show how the CBA is meeting high standards of excellence and quality, as stipulated by ACBSP.
Website address for ACBSP: www.acbsp.org
Website address for CHEA: www.chea.org