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Economic stability Anis Bou Diab, an economist at Haigazian university in Beirut, estimates that since the war in summer, 25,000 people have lost their jobs in the tourism sector alone, many of them graduates, most of whom have left for jobs abroad. "Job offers are very low, and demand is high" Abir Takieddine, economist "The loss in human capital was tremendous ... More than 200,000 left the country - most of them skilled labour. This will greatly reduce productivity," he said. Abir Takieddine, who teaches economics at the Middle East Canadian Academy of Technology (Mecat) in Beirut, says that Lebanon is undergoing a period of "concentrated pressure". "Job offers are very low and demand is high, and the concentration of jobs isn't broad," she said. "The Gulf states gain from this, as the Lebanese workforce there is tremendous. They don't even get the salaries they deserve, but they leave because of the stability of a place such as the United Arab Emirates or Qatar. "There are jobs available in Lebanon, but they are specialised and niche." Takieddine recommends students to study technical subjects and to move away from marketing and business degrees as the market is flooded with graduates from those disciplines. Living abroad  | | Zunji has found it cheaper to study in France than in Lebanon |
For those who get visas to work abroad, life can be easier. Ameen Zunji, 27, who graduated in 2002 from Holy Spirit University, Beirut, spent a year looking for a job in Lebanon, despite speaking five languages, before leaving for France. He is now working at the Sofitel hotel in Paris, and is continuing his education part-time at a university there. He says that Lebanese companies do not trust the standard of education at local universities and prefer to hire graduates who have studied abroad. "If you have Wasta, or a foreign degree, then that's what gets you a job," he says. Costs also play a part. Zunji says enrolling on a part-time master's degree course in Lebanon could have cost him $14,000 for two years; now he pays $300 a term. "The Lebanese society is all about fashion, if it suddenly becomes cool to hire local educated graduates, then many would get a job here immediately," Zunji said. Depression Hanine Hout, a psychologist at Mecat, says that difficulties in finding work lead to psychological problems. "Even the best university in Lebanon sees cases of depression," Hanine Hout, psychologist Hout is now counselling up to five students a week, whereas in the past it was one or two. "Depression is common. My classrooms are full of depressed students, and it is more widespread than before. You can tell students are not having fun, they are not motivated anymore," she says. Hout also said that the rising cost of tuition fees has had an impact on the number of universities applicants as students are apprehensive about committing to a university course while the political situation is unresolved. She believes that even students from leading universities are struggling to climb the employment ladder. Lebanon 's universities Many believe that the American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon's foremost academic institution, is the most popular university in the Middle East. Twenty per cent of its students come from overseas, but it is also one of the most expensive universities in the Arab world. Students pay anything from $11,000 to $16,000 for a degree course. Hagazian university, which is seen by many as AUB's main competitor, charges $4,000 for an undergraduate course. Jad Ghnam, is an AUB graduate working in Doha, Qatar. He graduated in July 2002, with a bachelor's degree in computer science, and found work abroad immediately. When asked why he left Lebanon, he said: "I guess it's the lack of job opportunities and the low salaries." Although he did not claim that graduating from AUB gave him an advantage abroad, he said: "There are many Lebanese working abroad that gained degrees from other institutions. The AUB definitely helps in Lebanon because it has a brand name." Samer Nazal, 27, a 2003 business management graduate from Kasleek university, is still unemployed. "Looking for a job for such a long time is not a nice feeling, I have no money. I would leave Lebanon tomorrow for work. AUB students get jobs, but they are mainly upper-class students who can afford to pay over the roof for their education. "You can't live in Lebanon on $300 a month, which is the average salary for a graduate."
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