The UNESCO / Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowship enabled me to concentrate on and defend my thesis which was under a cosupervision agreement between the Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik (USEK) in Lebanon and the Université de Rouen in France. The first part of my research was conducted in Lebanon (Prof. N. Zakaria, Thesis Director) and the second part in France (Prof. J. Wallet, Thesis Co-Director).
Field work was carried out in Lebanon. Several interviews were conducted in addition to bibliographical research in university libraries and empirical research at USEK. The following persons, among others, were interviewed: F. Baroud; A. Balian; W. Mrad, N. Khalik, IT (NDU); N. Wakim, VR; P. Bou Zaidan, SG (USEK); M. Chamoun (USJ); UL (B. Wakim); UPA (P. Gédéon); AUB (R. Souto- Silva, A. Geara); the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (A. Jamal, N. Kamil,) etc. The aim of these interviews was to understand the dynamic of online academic tutoring in Lebanon. At the same time, academic websites were thoroughly studied throughout the research and drafting period in order to analyse any modifications.
Theoretical research was conducted in Paris and Rouen in France. In Paris, I was able to conduct interviews and carry out bibliographical research at the François Mitterrand Library (from 1 to 9 March 2009).
The following people were interviewed: Prof. M. Miloudi, Coordinator of the Avicenna project at UNESCO; Prof. D. Oillo, Director of Innovation; Prof. J.P. Régnier, Deputy Secretary-General of the French National Commission for UNESCO; C. Souyri-Desrosier, Communication Advisor to the French National Commission for UNESCO.
In Rouen, I completed my outline at the CIVIIC Laboratory of the Université de Rouen and developed my bibliographical research at the Université de Rouen, from 9 to 18 March 2009.
Upon returning to Lebanon, I finalized the 350 pages of the Ph.D thesis and took the viva voce examination on Saturday, 18 September 2010 at USEK, after which I obtained a Ph.D (Hons) in Education Sciences, option: educational computing.
It is the UNESCO / Keizo Obuchi Fellowship that enabled me to complete my thesis within the timeframe mentioned above.
04 February 2011
Translated from French by Unesco