In a significant stride towards promoting gender equality and empowering women in Lebanon, 50 female staff and faculty members from the University of Balamand were chosen to participate in the 'Supporting Women on Board of Syndicates, Universities, and Board of Organizations' project organized by the Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB).

The initiative, launched in collaboration with the British Embassy, aimed to facilitate and increase female representation on boards of four key entities, promoting gender equality and diversity in decision-making roles.

Selected from 50 candidates from UOB, Dr. Dima Issa, Mrs. Diala Farah, Mrs. Magda Nassif, Dr. Marianne Saba, and Dr. Abir Abdelrahman were chosen to participate in the Corporate Directors Program, offered by the Institute for Finance and Governance (IFG). This program aims to provide participants with tools to tackle the improvement of corporate governance practices where they received one-on-one training, participated in round table discussions, attended various sessions, and after 5 months, successfully earned their certificates from ESA Business School.

A steering committee, led by Dr. Dima Issa and including Dr. Oumaya Kouran, Mrs. Rania Najjar, and Mrs. Diala Farah, was established to implement the project. This committee will continue its work in accordance with the LLWB report, which offers recommendations for women's empowerment at UOB.

The selection of UOB staff and faculty members for the program underscores the university's commitment to gender equality and the professional development of its female employees. Through this project, the selected members had the opportunity to gain valuable insights, expand their professional networks, and contribute to the broader goal of achieving gender parity in leadership roles. ​