Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts

Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts is an important higher education institution located in the city of Beirut in Lebanon, and has a significant impact on culture and education in the entire Middle East, as the first governmental higher education institute in the area. Initially an independent institution, ALBA became affiliated with the University of Balamand (Lebanon) in 1988. ALBA is based out of its main building located in the Sin El Fil section of Beirut. Traditionally, classes have been taught in French at the Beirut location, but the main campus of Balamand began offering courses in English to reach a larger and more international audience.

The Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts was founded in 1937 by a group of visionary young classical musicians, led by engineer Alexis Boutros, who had recognized the need for an official institution to teach arts in rapidly changing Lebanon. After developing its music program in its early years, ALBA grew to add branches for architecture, letters, political science, and law. However, the program eventually returned to focus on the creative arts and structural arts. ALBA has faced significant challenges over the last 30 years.

Today, Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts has become an exemplary yardstick for creative brilliance and unique educational methodology in the field of architecture in the whole of the Mediterranean world. Through ECTS implementation and building up strong exchange relationships with top-notch institutions in Europe, the institution manages to merge its strong Lebanese tradition with the global world. The graduates of the institution find themselves working in some of the leading design, film production, and architectural companies around the globe. ALBA continues to be one of the important elements in the cultural history of Lebanon.