Rafik Hariri University’s College of Business Administration scored a new national achievement, on April 21-22, 2018, in the first national Lebanese American University’s Case Competition, held this past weekend by LAU and in partnership with four international companies: CISCO, Leo Burnett, Ernst & Young and Careem. The RHU team succeeded in solving all the four business cases required by the Competition, winning 2 of the 4 cases and then winning the Best Team Prize awarded by LAU.

While real business case competitions have become a common occurrence in a number of countries, especially in Europe, the United States, Australia and Canada, the LAU’s Case Competition was the first to be organized in Lebanon.  360 undergraduate students, lined up in 90 teams, from 11 universities, including LAU, AUB, RHU and others, were given 4 business cases that they had to solve in 5 successive stages.  The cases represented real-world business situations prepared by the participating companies, who assigned experienced representatives to guide the student teams, evaluate their work and select the winners. 

RHU’s participating student team, guided by business Assistant Professor Jamil Chaya, consisted of Lara Bachouti (Management), Maysaa Chehade (Marketing and Advertising), Karam El-Awar (Accounting) and Mira Al Kamand (Computer and Communication Engineering).

RHU’s team members were on their own throughout the entire competition, showing how to take initiative and turn it into an advantageous team effort, culminating in winning, by working together and thinking outside the box.  To paraphrase the company representatives, RHU students were original, passionate, innovative, and entrepreneurial in spirit.

Rafik Hariri University (rhu.edu.lb), whose aim is to provide affordable, high quality education and to supply knowledgeable and competent graduates to meet Lebanese and regional job market demands, became a reality in the beautiful Mechref village of Damour city, and opened its doors for the first time on September 15, 1999, with the College of Business Administration, according to Presidential Decree 1947.  The University consists of 4 colleges which offer courses and awards academic degrees, both graduate and undergraduate in more than twenty accredited programs including Freshman Arts and Science.  RHU is well known for its “I Care” culture, systematic Cooperative Education Program, and innovative approach.

Being the first and oldest college of the University, The College of Business Administration (CBA) has grown significantly and presently offers seven undergraduate business programs in Accounting, Business IT Management, Finance and Banking, Human Resources Management, Management, Marketing, Marketing and Advertising. In addition, the College offers a graduate MBA program in General Business Management. Moreover, the CBA takes pride in being the first in Lebanon and the Arab World to offer a graduate MBA program with specialization in Oil and Gas Management, and to integrate the Community Engagement Experience into all of its programs.