Many of us, youths, expected that people of the Earth will start electing prime ministers on Mars way before a prime minister gets elected in Lebanon. Yet, once again, our politicians failed to meet our expectations, but this time we are hoping for the best.
After 59 days since former PM Saad Hariri’s resignation, hence the resignation of the whole government, a new prime minister has finally been appointed amid parliamentary consultations, and here is what you need to know about him.
The recent PM Hassan Diab received his B.Sc (with Honors) in Communications Engineering, M.Sc. (with Distinction) in Systems Engineering, and Ph.D. in Computer Engineering.
@lbcilebanonHe joined the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 1985. He is a registered Chartered Engineer in the Engineering Council, UK, and a registered Chartered Professional Engineer in the National Professional Engineers Register, Australia.
Diab is also a Professor of Computer Engineering at the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, AUB, with over 34 years of professional experience, including 15 years of executive administration.
@annaharnewsDiab served as a Minister of Education and Higher Education between 2011 and 2014, under then-Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government. He was the first Lebanese education minister to have a professional background in higher education.
With over 150 publications in internationally refereed journals and conferences, he supervised and co-supervised around 80 research projects and led close to 30 research projects sponsored through local and international grants.
His research interests include higher education in the MENA region and global issues in education. He chaired several conferences and served as a member of over 50 organizing committees of international conferences.
Moreover, he served as Associate Editor or member of Advisory/Editorial Board on five international journals. He received over 20 international and regional awards and scholarships.
Even though he is a candidate nominated by Hezbollah and Amal Movement’s parliamentary blocs, that believe in the making of a technopolitical government, Diab actually believes in technocracy and aims to create a technocrat government, or so he speaks.
@alakhbarnewspaperembedded via
Many speculations have been spread on social media upon Diab’s nomination on Wednesday, Dec. 18. According to Twitter users, the former minister printed a book talking about his accomplishments with a cost of 70 million dollars and which he covered by the ministry itself. Other speculations talk about stories about his affiliations with nepotism and egoism.
However, Diab has not made a statement to address these allegations as of this moment. His academic and professional career seems promising; but is it enough to sail the country back to safety?
