Université Saint Esprit de Kaslik (USEK)

The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) is a private Catholic higher education institution founded by the Lebanese Maronite Order (LMO) in 1938. It is, thus, the first university which was established upon a Lebanese initiative and by Lebanese citizens (in this case by the LMO monks). From that moment, these monks, who had been entrusted with a teaching mission for more than three centuries, have undertaken the management of USEK. Their remit was to provide university teaching, in conformity with the requirements of the labor market and in close association with scientific research.

Being a national institution, USEK has brought its teachings and curricula into line with the official requirements of the Lebanese state, which acknowledges the diplomas it delivers. Furthermore, USEK remains careful in achieving synthesis of tradition and modernism in the educational options it offers, while remaining true to a Christian humanism, which is imprinted on the overall education it provides.

Located in a Middle Eastern milieu, in addition to its educational mission, USEK is committed to the preservation and promotion of the Maronite cultural heritage and the creation of a community spirit, in which the spiritual, civic and ethical values of respecting the other and their beliefs prevail.

Due to the pressure to democratize higher education, the university is deploying necessary efforts to fight exclusion and abide by a non-elitist policy, albeit without making any concessions with regard to the quality of education. The establishment of decentralized regional centers (in Zahle, Chekka and Rmeich) thus springs out of the wish to implement the right to higher education.

USEK has adapted well in light of soaring socioeconomic development and has created new vocational specializations, in order to diversify its education and meet the needs of the labor market. Its objectives also include the installation of welcoming and service-oriented infrastructures which rely on new information and communication technologies. USEK is concerned with the modernization of administrative procedures and academic systems, and also with providing continuous training.

USEK is located in the heart of Mount Lebanon; it is multilingual by tradition, and a French- and English-speaking institution. Thanks to an extremely dense network of national and international relations, it plays a key role in training highly-qualified researchers and professionals.

Nowadays, USEK welcomes more than 8,000 students across its twelve faculties and three institutes; i.e. fifteen academic units which offer a broad array of high-level diversified education.

USEK’s motto: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the whole truth.” (Jn 16:13)

Source: USEK Website