The promotion of scientific research, a top priority for USEK, is now at the heart of its development strategy. Significant investments are being made to this end, and agreements are being signed with partner institutions in order to give a new impetus to research and trigger a real dynamic of publication.

On February 13, 2017, USEK signed an agreement with the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) to co-finance research projects. Three other universities signed a similar agreement - the Lebanese University, the American University of Beirut, and Université Saint-Joseph.

The signing ceremony of the agreement between each of the four universities and the CNRS took place in the Grand Serail, in the presence of His Excellency Prime Minister Saad Hariri, His Excellency Marwan Hamadé, Minister of National Education, and official delegations representing the signatory universities headed by their respective presidents.
Reverend Father Prof. Georges Hobeika, President of USEK, was accompanied by: Dr. Georges Yahchouchi, Provost; Professor Nehmé Azoury, Deputy President for Research; and Dr. Randa Abi-Aad, Deputy Director of the Higher Center for Research.

Following the signing of the USEK-CNRS agreement, an information session, hosted by Dr. Élise Noujeim and Ms. Roula Atoui from the CNRS, was organized on March 15 at USEK’s Kaslik Campus. The purpose was to inform teachers and researchers about the importance of the agreement, the benefits they are likely to reap from it, and the new conditions now in force for submitting calls for applications that are jointly managed and funded by the CNRS and USEK. The session also covered the conditions for obtaining doctoral fellowships and for integrating international research programs that are initiated by the CNRS partner organizations. This event was attended by deans, researchers and teachers, as well as Prof. Nehmé Azoury, Deputy President for Research, and Prof. Nicole Chalhoub, President of the Doctoral College.