UCL launches programme of research and education in Lebanon

Academics from UCL today joined the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, to launch a new Centre for research and learning, focused on growth and prosperity in Lebanon. Lebanon now hosts over one million Syrian refugees and around half a million Palestinian refugees, many of whom are living in urban areas. The RELIEF Centre will explore how to make countries such as Lebanon more prosperous and improve the lives of all those affected by mass displacement. Led by Professor Henrietta L. Moore, Director of the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity, and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Centre will work with the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Centre for Lebanese Studies to identify ways in which universities can help boost local and national levels of prosperity. The RELIEF team will join local teams in Lebanon to explore how refugee and host communities can work together to build public services and better quality living environments. The programme will also explore what prosperity means for refugees and hosts, and develop tools and frameworks for people to monitor prosperity gains or deficits in their community. Professor Moore said, "Prosperity isn't just about improving GDP, you also need to fight inequality, promote social cohesion, and provide education, health, and decent employment.