Pharmacy Education in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Settings: The Lebanese American University School of Pharmacy Experience.

Abstract

Between 2019 and 2026, Lebanon faced a cascade of severe crises, including financial and economic collapse, political instability, COVID-19, the Beirut Port explosion, and armed conflicts, that disrupted higher education. This manuscript describes how the Lebanese American University (LAU) School of Pharmacy (SOP) maintained its mission during this period of turmoil and presents a framework for pharmacy education in fragile and conflict-affected settings (FACS). During that period, the SOP adopted flexible teaching models (in-person, hybrid, and online), increased the use of simulation-based learning and virtual assessments, and implemented a contingency plan for educational activities. Curricular updates focused on crisis preparedness, emergency response, health equity, cultural sensitivity, and mental health. Partnerships with local and international institutions, humanitarian groups, and alumni supported experiential learning, mobility, and funding. Despite resource shortages, brain drain, and safety issues, the SOP maintained accreditation, steady graduation rates, and academic productivity. This experience shows that strategic governance, transparent communication, financial support, and psychosocial care can strengthen resilience and inform pharmacy education in FACS.