On October 9, 2012, the Higher Center for Research (HCR) and the Student Affairs Office at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) organized a session to present the CIT Innovation Voucher project. This presentation, which was given by a team from the Center for Innovation and technology (CIT), was attended by USEK Council members, administrative staff and teaching personnel from all Faculties. The presentation team was composed of Mr. Nagi Abou Zeid (CIT Director), Mr. Fadi Fayad (Senior Business Advisor), and Mrs. Nicole Tager, Mrs. Roula Sleiman and Mr. Ramzi Bhamdouni (Business Advisors).

The Center for Innovation and Technology is a dynamic division of the Industrial Research Institute (IRI). It acts as a coordinating body between the knowledge supply of research institutions and the wishes and demands of local industry, as part of the reinforcement of private sector competitiveness in Lebanon.

The CIT Innovation Voucher Project is designed to encourage innovation by offering useful resources for SMEs, individual researchers and research institutes in order to create new products, processes and services, and to come up with innovative business models. It addresses the needs of small industries that do not have the means to finance their own research and development projects or the experience needed to collaborate with R&D centers. The voucher system grants researchers up to €10,000 per proposed project to cover the costs of relevant consulting, research and development, simulation or prototyping.

The presentation was concluded by a debate.