Introduction
Four years after Libya gained its independence, the University of Benghazi (UOB) was established as the first university in Libya on December 15, 1955, under the name “University of Libya.” The Libyan Kingdom handed over the Al-Manar Palace in Benghazi to serve as the university’s first headquarters. Since then, the concept of leadership has been ingrained in the University of Benghazi, which has taken on the responsibility of driving societal development by graduating generations with higher qualifications and excelling in scientific research to contribute to community growth. Today, the University of Benghazi is the largest university in Libya, with the most widespread presence across an extensive geographical area. This responsibility has become the core element of the university’s culture, continuously supporting it in achieving its future goals.
The University of Benghazi serves a community of 60,624 students, including 11,513 students at its eight branches and 49,111 at its main campus in Benghazi. These students are supported by 3,531 faculty members and 5,664 staff members, including administrators, technicians, and workers, who ensure the provision of various services.
Developing a strategic plan to guide an institution of this scale and significance toward improved academic and administrative performance will undoubtedly play a vital role in advancing postgraduate education across Libya.
This initiative outlines a comprehensive strategy for the University of Benghazi for the 2023–2027 period. It ensures high-quality educational, research, and service outcomes, framed within a structure that guarantees sustainability, aligns with national needs and specificities, and adheres to international standards.
The University of Benghazi continuously strives to contribute to the development of higher education in Libya and enhance the quality of its outcomes. This goal is a central consideration in the university’s strategic planning, enabling it to establish a clear vision with well-defined objectives, priorities, and measurable indicators.
As one of Libya’s leading postgraduate education institutions, the University of Benghazi offers programs across 15 academic disciplines. Most of its faculties are concentrated in Benghazi, with some distributed across nine branches located in the east, west, and south of the city: Al-Marj, Qaminis, Al-Abyar, Suluq, Tokra, Jalu, Awjilah, Al-Wahat, and Kufra (as illustrated on the map of Libya).
Additionally, the university operates 11 specialized canters, focusing on areas such as language studies, scientific research, medical services, media, legal consultancy, information and documentation, academic development, environmental studies, energy, state management, and nanotechnology.
The University of Benghazi’s educational services span a geographical area with a population density of approximately one million people, reflecting its critical role in advancing education and development in the region.
Strategic Priorities
An analysis of the academic programs offered by the university’s colleges, its academic and administrative activities, and its outputs—ranging from services to publications—along with a review of developments in the surrounding environment, highlights several priorities essential for initiating the objectives of this strategy. These include:
Transforming Management and Supporting Staff
Our goal is to provide the necessary resources, systems, and tools to empower everyone at the University of Benghazi to succeed in their assigned administrative tasks. We aim to create an environment where leaders—managers, department heads, and unit supervisors—are equipped to communicate effectively with their teams, guiding them in the most suitable manner. Additionally, we will work to eliminate any procedures that may hinder this communication, fostering a more collaborative and efficient workplace.
Health and Safety
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical importance of incorporating health considerations to ensure the safety of students and university staff in all activities. As such, health and safety remain the top priority at the University. A healthy and supportive work environment is essential for promoting personal well-being, which in turn enables us to achieve our educational and research goals effectively.
Fostering Staff Ambition
At the University of Benghazi, we aim to attract and employ the best talent. Our focus is on empowering employees to fully utilize their skills and capabilities through continuous professional development and opportunities to build additional competencies. This approach prepares them for future leadership roles, ensuring sustained progress in achieving our educational and research objectives.
Developing Procedures and Regulations
We aim to review and improve the internal regulations and legislation governing the work at the University of Benghazi, ensuring they align with the university’s mission and goals while keeping pace with the global context. This includes establishing specialized committees to propose improvements to the Ministry of Higher Education regarding the regulations governing Libyan universities and higher education in Libya.
Strategic Objectives
Developing scientific research and enhancing research capabilities.
Working towards obtaining international accreditation for academic programs.
Strengthening the university’s impact within its community.
Building networks for international academic and practical cooperation for the university.
Improving administrative procedures at the university by transitioning to digital transformation and electronic management.
Mechanism for Monitoring Strategy
Implementation and Framework of the First Annual Executive Plan
A general committee will be formed to oversee the implementation of this strategy during its duration (2023–2027). This committee will organize its work into five task forces, each responsible for monitoring and achieving a specific strategic objective. The committee’s tasks can be summarized as follows:
1- Developing the annual executive plan for the assigned strategic objective, including costs, required human resources, a detailed timeline, and monitoring procedures.
2- Communicating with deans of colleges and directors of offices and departments to explain the annual plan.
3- Monitoring and supervising the implementation of the plan.
4- Preparing quarterly progress reports on the plan’s trajectory and achievement rates, to be submitted to the university president and the general supervisory committee of the strategy.
5- Regarding the first task (developing the first annual plan), priorities for each strategic objective have been set based on performance indicators.
Accordingly, during the first year, the committee must work towards achieving the targeted outcomes for each indicator.