Khuri joins global knowledge elite

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

A rare honour for Arab academic leadership is drawing global attention to the region’s growing influence in higher education. Dr Fadlo R. Khuri, President of the American University of Beirut (AUB), has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, placing him among a select group of global thought leaders from across disciplines. Founded in 1780 by U.S. Founding Fathers, the Academy includes historic names like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Dr Khuri’s induction into its latest class in Educational and Academic Leadership marks a symbolic breakthrough for the Arab world’s academic institutions, which are increasingly being recognised on the international stage.

Leadership under pressure

Khuri’s election is not just symbolic. It comes after a decade in which he steered AUB through Lebanon’s economic crisis, the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, and the COVID-19 pandemic, while spearheading major institutional reforms.

Under his leadership, AUB reinstated academic tenure, launched AUB Online, and opened AUB Mediterraneo, its first campus outside Lebanon. The university also saw a sharp rise in international rankings.

“This recognition belongs to all of us who have worked together through some of the most trying times in our university’s history,” Dr Khuri said, crediting former AUB Board Chair Philip S. Khoury for his nomination.

He added with personal pride, “My mother will no doubt be thrilled that I was elected in the same class as Gloria Steinem, one of her heroes and one of feminism’s greatest champions.”

Wider impact

Chairman of AUB’s Board of Trustees, Abdo G. Kadifa, said Khuri’s recognition was a reflection of his commitment to excellence and service. “Under his guidance, AUB has not only survived but grown, against all odds,” he noted.

Academy President Laurie L. Patton said the newest members demonstrate “the human capacity for discovery, creativity, leadership, and persistence” across disciplines. “We invite every new member to join us in our work to promote the common good,” she said.

Dr Khuri’s recognition marks a new chapter in how Arab academic leadership is seen, and increasingly valued, by the world’s top institutions.