Under the auspices of the German Embassy in Lebanon, represented by the Head of the  Economic, Cultural and Media Department at the Embassy, Ms. Hindeja Farah, the Rafik Hariri University and the Lebanese-German Maria Goeppert Mayer Incubator (MGMI) for innovation and entrepreneurship signed an MoU at RHU campus on Thursday, January 18, 2017.

The agreement was signed by the Director of the MGMI, Mr. Ayman Chehade, and RHU President, Dr. Ahmad Smaili at 12:00 p.m. Witness to the signing ceremony were members of the incubator’s Board of Directors, Mr. Hussain Ammar and Mr. Amr Salam, Dr. Dieter Weichert, Dr. Karl-Georg Steffens, the CEO of the Innovation Center Hamm, Germany; and RHU Vice Presidents and Deans.

Mr. Ayman Chehade noted that the aim of the incubator that bears the name of Goeppert-Mayer, a 1963 German physicist and Nobel Laureate, is to provide potential entrepreneurs a pathway to nurture and develop promising ideas. He added that the MGMI incubator is unique because of the synergy generated by the commitment of the board of directors and partners to advancing innovation, access to cutting edge German technology and incubation infrastructure at the Innovation Center Hamm, access to expert support and modern lab facilities at RHU, and the backing of the German embassy in Lebanon. These pillars pave the way for talented Lebanese entrepreneurs the opportunity to transform their ideas into real startups.

Dr. Smaili noted that the MoU signed with the MGMI is a testimony to RHUs commitment to nurture innovation and harness relationship with German institutions for the benefit of students, researchers and entrepreneurs seeking to improve the world around them. The MoU will serve to extend the potential of the RHU’s Incuvation Initiative that was launched this year which aims to provide the resources and curricular flexibility to any student(s) who dreams to transform an idea into a useful venture while studying to attain a diploma at RHU. The RHU-MGMI cooperation also provides students and researchers an experience beyond the borders of Lebanon and extends the resources and support they need while transforming ideas into scalable projects.

On behalf of the German Embassy, Ms. Hindeja Farah congratulated the Board of Directors of the Incubator and the Rafik Hariri University on the signing of this partnership agreement and wished them success. She added that such collaboration will contribute to strengthening the relation between Lebanon and Germany at the scientific, academic, social and economic levels.