"Helping is learned, but the impulse of the heart is not enough." This credo, launched 40 years ago by Bioforce, is based on the deep conviction that "taking care of the most vulnerable is not just a vocation, it's a real job."

Today, 362 million people need humanitarian assistance. Complex crises are multiplying, especially in the Middle East.

In Lebanon, facing the collapse of the state, local civil society organizations are particularly called upon to respond to successive crises and provide assistance to increasingly vulnerable populations, explained Dorothée Lintner, director of Bioforce, presenting the challenges of the new university diploma, "Humanitarian Crises, Solidarity and International Cooperation," launched at Saint Joseph University (USJ) and co-awarded by the Bioforce institute.

"It is necessary to empower humanitarian workers to act effectively, with quality, professionalism, and responsibility, to ensure access to appropriate and quality aid for these vulnerable populations. This involves the professional development of each worker in the sector, in terms of skills and behavior as well as personal motivation, three key dimensions for effective and sustainable aid," she said.

Convinced that it was essential to work with a Lebanese partner that recognized the excellent level of education among certain segments of the population, particularly in civil society, Bioforce has decided to sign an academic and professional cooperation with Saint Joseph University.

"Renowned for its academic quality and research capability, USJ is best able to understand international humanitarian aid standards as conveyed by Bioforce and adapt them to the Lebanese and regional context," stated the institute's director.

Design and manage a humanitarian project

Funded by the international directorate of Monaco cooperation, this pilot project aims to strengthen humanitarian expertise in the Middle East and enable local actors to better manage the crises that regularly affect the region.

"The first class, which started last September, will conclude in May," said the director.

Spanning one year, this 200-hour degree is aimed at any student with a bachelor's or master's degree in political science, human sciences, management or social sciences as well as at professionals who have completed six months in the humanitarian sector or who have a fairly clear professional project and want to strengthen their skills to build effective and sufficiently sustainable aid over time, Lintner said.

"All courses are held in the evening, in person and in virtual sessions, in English, to allow working people to participate," she stated. "The courses will be taught by Bioforce's leading professors, mainly experienced humanitarians with expertise in intervention practices and understanding their challenges, but also by trainers from the region present on the ground. This training is developed in close collaboration with NGOs to constantly adapt to field realities."

Students will learn to analyze a crisis and its multidimensional impact on individuals, society, and the state. They will also learn to build development projects based on solidarity, partnership, and international cooperation, as well as manage finances with integrity and transparency towards program financiers. They will also study the management of equipment in place and issues related to security, from the delivery of aid and supply chains to its effective distribution to crisis regions and populations – medications, blankets, foodstuffs and more.

"Very often, the distribution of aid can be extremely dangerous and lead to a scramble in the face of a distressed, hungry population. Students will therefore learn the necessary gestures and postures to manage these tensions well, hold on and be very vigilant about themselves and others," Lintner said.

This was why Bioforce emphasized both know-how and interpersonal skills.

Simultaneously, meetings will be organized with potential employers and several Lebanese NGOs to create bridges and open new horizons for students.

"This degree is just one aspect of a broader activity that we will start to implement this year," Lintner stated. "We have secured funding from the French Development Agency, available to all Lebanese associations in the territory, allowing us to undertake complementary actions to this university degree, notably the creation of ephemeral campuses, which are much shorter one-week training to create networks and strengthen cooperation and skills, as well as awarding university scholarships to students."

"An NGO only lasts if it is well managed. At the slightest problem or scandal, the association loses its funding and may disappear," she added. "It is therefore essential that this organization has a very solid backbone, that it is extremely transparent to be sustainable and continue over time."