For more information about us, visit our website at http://www.aub.edu.lb/neighborhood/Pages/home.aspx The Neighborhood Initiative serves as a model of place-based engagement for universities in Lebanon and the region, benefiting the university itself and the districts of Beirut surrounding it. A special project under the President’s Office, the Initiative team works collaboratively across the University with students, faculty, and staff and with neighborhood residents, businesses, and public sector decision-makers. Generally, the Neighborhood Initiative’s role may be described as follows:
-Connect: Learning about the Neighborhood’s priorities and make introductions between AUB and neighbors.
-Catalyze: Identifying intersection between neighborhood concerns and academic expertise; conceptualizing research and outreach activities with faculty; providing modest seed funding to projects.
-Facilitate: forming multidisciplinary teams; managing faculty-led projects; facilitate implementation through contact with the public sector.
-Advocate: encourage the AUB community to become involved in research and action on Ras Beirut; bringing the neighbors’ concerns and possible solutions to the attention of policy makers. Current Neighborhood Initiative projects fit under three themes: Urban Environment, Community and Well Being, and Preserving the Diversity of Ras Beirut.
