AKSOB Relaunches the Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management
The return of the Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the Adnan Kassar School of Business highlights LAU’s renewed commitment to applied learning, industry partnership, and the future of hospitality and tourism in Lebanon.
On December 9, 2025, the Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB) at LAU hosted a vibrant gathering to mark the relaunch of the Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management with its new Advisory Board. Titled Bridging Academia and Industry for a Sustainable Hospitality Future, the event reflected a renewed commitment to collaboration at a pivotal moment for Lebanon’s hospitality and tourism sector.
The relaunch brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including the Advisory Board members, hospitality executives, general managers and human resources leaders from leading hotels, food and beverage experts, and representatives from professional syndicates. Their presence highlighted the institute’s mission to remain closely aligned with industry needs and national priorities, while positioning AKSOB as a platform for sustained industry engagement.
The event opened with welcoming remarks by Dr. Rania Haddad, director of the Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management and chair of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Department. Her address underscored AKSOB’s strategic role as a bridge between academic rigor and market realities, and the importance of industry partnerships and applied learning in preparing graduates to lead in complex, evolving business environments.
Dr. Haddad outlined the institute’s vision and priorities, reinforcing its role as a hub for practice-based education, applied research, and collaboration with industry and public-sector partners. She drew on ongoing initiatives, from professional certificate programs to student-led competitions and research projects at the institute, to demonstrate how academic knowledge is translated into impact.
“Through practice-based certificates and applied research, we are positioning hospitality and tourism management as a strategic discipline, not just an academic one,” she said.
Lebanese Minister of Tourism Laura Khazen, in turn, spoke about the significance of the institute’s relaunch, placing its work within a broader national framework. She highlighted Lebanon’s strong hospitality legacy, the central role of human capital, and the growing need for data-driven policy, cross-sector collaboration, and sustainable growth to support tourism recovery. “Lebanon’s most valuable national asset has always been its human capital, which has shaped our hospitality sector, gastronomy, and global reputation,” she said.
“Today, Lebanon needs its talent to thrive here, to see opportunity in the domestic market and transform it into a platform for growth that reaches all regions,” she added.
The institute’s applied approach came to life during a lunch prepared and served by LAU hospitality students. The experience offered guests a tangible example of how classroom learning is integrated with professional practice, while allowing students to demonstrate their skills, professionalism and creativity.
As the event concluded, the institute’s relaunch stood as a testament to AKSOB’s strategic position within LAU as a driver of industry engagement, applied research, and workforce-oriented education. Through initiatives such as this institute, the university continues to build bridges between academia, industry and government to contribute to a more resilient and sustainable Lebanon.