Project Description

What is LEBPASS?

LEBPASS is a new initiative in Lebanon and the Middle East, aimed at helping students and graduates make their skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood across Lebanon, the Middle East, and Europe, thus facilitating the mobility of both learners and workers. The core of LEBPASS is the Diploma Supplement, which is based on the European Higher Education Area model that has now been introduced in over 40 European countries.

What is the Lebanese Diploma Supplement (DS)?

The Diploma Supplement aims to meet the demands of both the educational sector and the labour market by:

Promoting transparency within and between higher education systems.

Providing accurate and up-to-date information on a student’s qualifications.

Aiding mobility and access to further study and employment abroad.

Providing fair and informed information relating to qualifications.

Facilitating academic and professional recognition, thus increasing the transparency of qualifications.

What the Lebanese DS is NOT?

The Diploma Supplement is not a substitute for the original diploma or degree and does not automatically guarantee its recognition; rather, it makes it easier for employers and educational institutions to understand a graduate’s qualification.

How can students benefit from the Lebanese DS?

The Diploma Supplement:

Supports the formal recognition process of student degrees by higher education institutions, public authorities, and employers at home and abroad.

Provides students with easily understood information relating to their programme of study.

Provides an accurate description of a student’s academic work and acquired competencies that may be relevant to further study and employment opportunities abroad.

Improves worldwide acceptance of Lebanese educational qualifications.

Facilitates student mobility and transfer in Lebanon and abroad.

Allows the qualifications of students to be objectively and fairly judged on the basis of their achievements.

Showcases a graduate’s qualifications across the Middle East and Europe.

How can employers benefit from the Lebanese DS?

Employers will benefit from the Diploma Supplement because:

It provides detailed and understandable information on the nature, content, and professional recognition of qualifications.

It can be used in conjunction with the student’s curriculum vitae to help provide a rounded picture of any job applicant.

It provides better insights into a graduate’s qualifications.

How can higher education institutions (HEIs) benefit from the Lebanese DS?

The Diploma Supplement:

Respects national and institutional autonomy while offering a common framework that is accepted across Lebanon and internationally.

Aids credential evaluators and improves judgments about qualifications.

Simplifies the decision-making process for admissions or exemptions.

Raises the visibility of the institution and its qualifications abroad.

Promotes the employability of its holders at the national and international levels.

Helps save time and resources in the longer term by providing answers to recurrent questions put to institutions.

Who is eligible to obtain the Lebanese DS?

Graduates of any accredited Lebanese higher education institution are eligible to receive the Diploma Supplement upon request in any of the three languages: Arabic, English, and French.

How can students get the Lebanese DS?

The Diploma Supplement is issued solely upon the successful completion of higher education qualifications. Students can submit a request for their Lebanese DS through the Registrar’s Office of their academic institution.

Is the Lebanese DS provided free of charge?

The Lebanese DS is issued free of charge, including an unofficial transcript. Students are charged institutional fees if an official transcript is requested.

Is the Lebanese DS recognized by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE)?

The Lebanese DS is officially recognized by MEHE for Lebanese universities to issue an official copy in an electronic or print version. As such, the Lebanese DS is valid for use in Lebanon and abroad.

Why is LEBPASS an innovative concept?

The first country in the region, unifying professional qualifications for major university programs to serve also as a benchmark for other HEIs in the region.

A pioneering platform for students qualified in Lebanon, that can also be integrated with other platforms in the future

Raising awareness across Lebanese HEIs, non-partners, to start defining the outcomes of each delivered programs

A formula for equivalency between the different adopted credit systems in the region: the U.S., ECTS, Egyptian Arab System, or others, which has been always debated

Removing obstacles to academic and professional mobility due to a lack of transparency

A pioneering centre within the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education for program competency and educational objectives validation which will ensure the sustainability of the project

What are the expected impacts of LEBPASS?

On the institutional level:

More awareness on the importance of providing the student a LEBPASS

Alignment of the framework with institutional policies related to graduation, academic rules, etc.

Influence in Institutional strategies and student support services

Common language within and cross institutions

Accurate and up-to-date information on students’ qualifications

Academic recognition and transparency

Increase of the student mobility

On the national level:

A common language for the different Credits systems existing in Lebanon

Creation of a National Information Centre for recognition

Having experts and evaluators to review diploma supplements

Mobility and access to further study and employment abroad

Providing fair and informed information relating to qualifications

Academic and professional recognition increasing the transparency of qualifications

Creation of common national platform for graduates to make their qualifications visible to the world