On December 10, 2024, May Merhej Sayegh, Professor at the Business School at Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ), as the coordinator of the Erasmus+ Social Entrepreneurship in Time of Crisis – SE.TC project, participated in an online information session organised by the National Erasmus+ Office in Lebanon focused on Capacity Building in Higher Education.
The session – opened by Aref Alsoufi, Coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office Lebanon – brought together a diverse audience eager to learn and exchange ideas about innovative higher education initiatives.
Prof. May Merhej Sayegh shared her insights and reflections on the SE.TC project’s first year, exploring the key elements of the initiative.
Overview of the SE.TC Project: practical tools to manage a Capacity Building project in Higher Education
Designed to address the pressing challenges in Lebanon, the project aims to foster a culture of social entrepreneurship by empowering young people and enhancing the capacities of higher education institutions, thanks to the involvement of Lebanese and European partners.
Delving deeper into the origins of the SE.TC project, Professor Sayegh emphasized its alignment with the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education strand. She highlighted how the project was conceived as a response to the urgent need for entrepreneurial and innovative approaches to tackle social issues.
One of the more technical yet crucial parts of the presentation revolved around budget preparation. Professor Sayegh shared her experiences, underscoring the intricate balance required to design a budget that is both efficient and reflective of the project’s ambitions, offering also some important recommendations such as the prioritization of resources and the needs for transparency.
Another fundamental aspect addressed during the webinar was how to write a successful project proposal. The proposal must be clear and effective by addressing the following award criteria: first of all the relevance to Erasmus+ priorities, secondly a detailed structure – with a feasible project design – and last but not least a precise dissemination strategy.
Conclusion
The session served as an enriching platform for knowledge exchange, offering participants practical insights into the complexities of managing international collaborative projects. The SE.TC project, given its role in addressing societal and economic challenges in Lebanon during times of crisis, is a perfect case-study for experts or newcomers in the field of Capacity Building in the higher education domain.
To discover more about the info session, have a look at the agenda and refer to the Erasmus+ Lebanon website.
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