Injaz, a local non-governmental, non-profit organization, has been working hand in hand with the private sector to help bridge the gap for students between the world of academia and that of the workplace. It is a cause to which Fransabank is deeply committed and in which it has actively participated over the years. In 2008, this participation took on a new flavor when Fransabank took part in the piloting of Injaz Lebanon’s Company Program. This gave the opportunity to 25 students between the ages of 16 and 18 to attend weekly meetings at the Fransabank headquarters and to form their own company with the mentoring and support of a group of Fransabank employees. Fransabank staff helped them nurture their project from company formation all the way through to liquidation. Over a three month period, they guided the students as they chose their board of directors, divided their new company into departments, assigned the management, decided on their product, marketed it, sold it and finally liquidated the company.

In addition to the Company Program, Fransabank’s collaboration with Injaz has also included the hosting of high school students at the Bank’s headquarters for job shadow days to give them a first-hand experience of the world of work.

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It only takes one simple glance at the statistics to understand that lack of money can be a barrier to education. In Lebanon, according to the UNDP, only 3.24% of the poor have a university level education, compared to 18.63% of those who are better off financially. At Fransabank, we believe in making education accessible to all and in helping those with financial constraints to still achieve their dream of one day attaining a university degree. With this in mind Fransabank’s university loan was launched in 2009, offering all qualified students the opportunity to pursue their university education either in Lebanon or abroad. This product takes into consideration the particular needs of students, offering loan facilities ranging from LBP 6 million to LBP 375 million, a low interest rate, a grace period that includes all years of study plus an additional year after graduation, and a repayment period that can be up to 10 years. The response to Fransabank’s university loan has been phenomenal with applications received from a diverse range of students from across the country. The strong demand is of little surprise considering the value placed by Lebanese on education. Today, Fransabank is proud to play a major role in maintaining this strong bond between people and their future.

Fransabank has granted 1,625 university loans and the total outstanding amount is USD 11,278,431 as end of December 2012.

Fransabank Group held in 2012 its "Knowledge®" Conference, an economic and finance conference, entitled: “Global Business Leaders Talk: Performing in a Challenging World”, with renowned Lebanese and international speakers from the business and financial sectors: H.E. Mr. Riad Salame - Governor of The Central Bank of Lebanon, Mr. Helmut Maucher - Honorary Chairman of Nestlé S.A., Germany, Mr. Jean-René Fourtou - Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Vivendi, France - Mr. Philippe de Fontaine Vive - Vice President of the European Investment Bank, Luxembourg. Speakers shared their experiences, insights, and strategies as well as emerging topics with around 500 of the community’s key public and private sectors decision makers, top finance and business leaders, senior executives and leading academicians.

Fransabank’s financial donations target all levels of academia, from sponsoring year-end celebrations at Lebanese schools and offering awards to their top performing students to providing significant endowments to Lebanese universities for student scholarships. Beyond this, we have been only too glad to act as sponsors for congresses and meetings held by various academic institutions as well as lectures and invitations to international speakers that give university students access to the most up-to-date information in their relevant fields. In this context, Fransabank sponsored educational programs for the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at the American University of Beirut that focused on the latest achievements in the fields of engineering, architecture and graphic design. Fransabank brought international professors and experts from the U.S. and Europe to provide advanced theoretical and practical aspects in these fields to the university students. Five educational programs were provided: the science of signs with Professor Paul Mijksenaar, architecture with Professor Enric Miralles, the design of line and Photolithography with Professor Wolfgang Weingart, architecture with Professor Jorge Silvetti, and the graphic design for books’, magazines and the media with Professors Daniella Haufe and Detlef Fiedler.

In addition, Fransabank Group contributed to the expansion of the educational center at Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour. This school is a private French-language, Jesuit catholic educational institution set in Jamhour - Eastern Suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. It enjoys a high standing among the Lebanese schools. Among its Notable alumni, we list: Former Presidents of the Lebanese Republic, Former Lebanese ministers and deputies, Central Bank Governor, Chairmen of Lebanese Banks, main business, economic, educational and artistic personalities among others. 

Our employees also play an equally vital role in encouraging youth to pursue and achieve their potential. We make a point of maintaining a Fransabank’s presence at numerous career days at both universities and schools, raising awareness among students of the opportunities that await them if they complete their education and continue their career development. In addition to indirect financial support to students, we have provided funding for major projects such as the rehabilitation of the Lebanese University’s Faculty of Dentistry.

We pride ourselves on funding of the construction and replenishment of the first library at the Lebanese University. This library was named after, and filled with the books of, the late Mr. Wafic Kassar, the father of Fransabank's Chairman, Mr. Adnan Kassar, and Deputy Chairman, Mr. Adel Kassar, a prominent, well-known judge and the first to chair the law school. It now constitutes a reference to all students, faculty members and researches interested in the legal issues and topics.

Over three consecutive years till date, and within its ongoing commitment and indulgence in the partnership between the private and public sectors, Fransabank partnered with the prestigious French School of Administration, Ecole Nationale des Affairs (ENA) and The Basil Fuleihan Institute of Finance which is an autonomous public institution operating under the tutelage of the Lebanese Minister of Finance, for a joint education program. The program consists of sequences of Meetings of Senior Officials of the Lebanese Civil Service on the various challenges and managerial topics that are of both individual and national benefit. Each year, over 20 leaders from the public sector, judges and directors general of various public institutions and ministries, participate in this program in which high-calibre professors and experts from ENA share their knowledge in building the capacity of civil servants and developing their skills and performance. The objective behind Fransabank’s participation in such an elite alliance remains to have a share in broadening the access to the highest executive levels of government service, and to aid in providing professional training for senior civil servants.

Fransabank welcomed 242 students from various universities, offering them customized training at the Bank’s different departments and branches as part of the Bank’s Summer Internship Program.