On February 28, 2012, within the framework of a seminar organized by the National Centre for Scientific Research, The French Centre in the Middle East, The Lebanese University, Saint Joseph University, The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik and Balamand University, under the title of “The History of Ancient Arabic Texts”, a series of lectures was given by Doctoral students. The seminar was held at USEK, in order to discuss new techniques used in the study of ancient and philosophical texts.

In her speech, Mrs. Rima Matar, Director of The International Relations Office, pointed out that the University was constantly seeking to provide a ‘cutting-edge’ education, in order to best promote the skills and competences of its students and prospective researchers. She underlined the fact that, although the topic of the seminar might sound “classic” to some people, it was necessary to disseminate the techniques of analyzing ancient texts, which were written throughout history, in order to understand both the cultural dimensions of our current society and its future.

Prof. Nicole Chalhoub, President of the Doctoral College, stated that the Doctoral College was regularly offering interesting thematic seminars that had become popular with a wide range of researchers, particularly Doctoral students. She stressed that such gatherings shed light on strategic intelligence, openness to others and the importance of exchanging resources. Prof. Chalhoub emphasized that Doctoral Studies represented a journey towards excellence; at the end of which, the researcher felt proud of his/her individual contribution towards the ‘Field of Knowledge’ and/or of changing the course of things.

It is worth mentioning that the above mentioned seminar was given for a duration of two weeks by Prof. Ann-Marie Edde in a number of Lebanese universities situated in Beirut, Kaslik and Balamand. The group of trainers was composed of 15 researchers from Lebanese and European Institutions. The seminar aims to inform Doctoral students about scientific techniques used to find, identify, date, locate, edit and interpret ancient Arabic texts, dating from the beginning of Islam until the 19th century; regardless of the nature of the text, origin of the author and the concerned discipline.