Elie Badr

Dr. Elie Badr was appointed Vice President for Business Development and Global Affairs at LAU in October 2021. He is responsible for leading a business development team both in Lebanon and internationally in line with the President’s objective to transform LAU into a “university without borders.”

In this role, Dr. Badr develops strategies and integrated execution plans that achieve clearly defined business-development objectives, focusing on building high‐value business partnerships with other universities, governmental agencies, industries, private and public institutions to make a remarkable impact and achieve the university’s mission and goals.

Dr. Badr first joined LAU in 1994 as Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2001, and on to full Professor in 2009.

He was appointed Acting Dean of the School of Engineering and Architecture – as it was known back then – from 2003 till 2005 and as Acting Dean of the School of Architecture and Design from 2009 to 2012.

Between 2005 and 2012, he served as Assistant Provost for Academic Programs, and for one year after that as Assistant Provost for Special Projects. Through these two roles, Dr. Badr assisted LAU’s seven schools in the creation of new programs, securing approvals from relevant councils, obtaining government decrees and preparing for accreditation and reaccreditation, and liaising with the New York State Education Department. He also worked on establishing the LAU New York Headquarters and Academic Center and the LAU Executive Center in Beirut Central District.

From 2009 till 2012, Dr. Badr was also a member of the Board of Directors of LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital, where he managed, conducted and led renovation works in line with the master plan. He subsequently assumed the role of Strategy Officer for External Projects and Related Entities until 2014.

Between 2011 and 2014, Dr. Badr sat on the board of the American University of Madaba in Jordan.

Prior to his appointment as Vice President for Business Development and Global Affairs at LAU, he had served Notre Dame University (NDU) as Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost) since 2014. In this capacity, he led institutional planning, educational activities, and research initiatives, while managing seven faculties, in addition to several key offices such as student affairs, admissions, registrar, international relations and grants, among others. Under his tenure, NDU became accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Dr. Badr obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1986, followed by an MS in Mechanical Engineering, and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 1994, all from the University of Tulsa, OK, where he was also a research assistant. Throughout this period, he lectured at the American University of Beirut (AUB), specifically between 1988 and 1991.

Dr. Badr has an extensive publication and research record, having authored and co-authored a number of papers on residual stress analysis, metal fatigue, machine design and energy forecasting and analysis. He is also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a registered professional engineer in the Lebanese Order of Engineers.