Publications

Lebanon has a large and increasing number of university graduates entering the job market every year. Faced by a slowing down economy lacking investment prospects, Lebanese graduates find it more difficult to find jobs. In that context of large supply and poor demand in the Lebanese labor market, the employability of university graduates and the role of HEIs become major issues that require investigation. This paper aims to discuss the recent trends in graduates’ employability in Lebanon and the role of HEIs to promote employability. The paper discusses the recent trends in the higher education sector in Lebanon, and the policies and strategies enacted by each of the Ministry of Higher Education and the major HEIs in the context of employability. The paper assesses these policies and strategies and evaluates the recent trends. Although several HEIs have re-defined their roles as becoming more proactive with the corporate world and encouraging entrepreneurship, this new role is still unable to boost employability. Based on our analysis, this is mainly due to two reasons. Firstly, HEIs in Lebanon are teaching universities that lack research and innovation preventing them to play the proactive role that is mostly needed to improve employability. Secondly, in contrast to oligopoly markets that absorb and promote entrepreneurship, the Lebanese economy is characterized by small and medium enterprises that instead, block the dynamic role of entrepreneurship on employment and prevent the growth of entrepreneurial ideas.