In fulfillment of its commitment to offer higher education programs corresponding to the needs and demands of the country, its society and economy, the College of Business Administration, at Rafik Hariri University took note of oil and gas developments, and started conducting the appropriate needs assessments and studies in 2015.  After 3 years of assessments, studies and preparations, the College pioneered the MBA in Oil and Gas Management in 2018.

Since 2010, a number of important events occurred in Lebanon and the East Mediterranean, which opened up the potential for the development of an oil and gas industry in the region.  For Lebanon in particular, the USGS announced its prediction about the existence of oil and gas in the country’s exclusive economic zone.  This was followed by the adoption of the Offshore Petroleum Resources Law by the government, and the establishment of the Lebanese Petroleum Administration.

Being the first of its kind in Lebanon and the Arab World, this program adds value to Lebanon and its workforce because it prepares professionals in the economic, business and management dimension of the oil and gas industry.  Although the country does already boosts a number of engineering programs, it lacks programs for the economic and business dimension.

Given the program’s cooperation agreement with the Lebanese Petroleum Administration, college faculty will also add value by being able to conduct research, studies and training, which will all contribute to the development of promising oil and gas industry and its associated institutional and economic linkages forward and backward.

Finally, the MBA in Oil and Gas Management will add value by equipping Lebanese professionals with market-demanded skills and competencies, designed to make them employable, thereby helping in reducing the country’s unemployment rate.

Professor Jamil Hammoud

Dean of the College of Business Administration