AUB targets $100 million for
computing and data sciences

New school to open doors in 2026

The American University of Beirut (AUB) has announced the establishment of a School of Computing and Data Sciences (SCDS), marking a strategic leap into the future of artificial intelligence and big data. The new school is expected to open its doors in September 2026.

AUB President Dr. Fadlo Khuri positioned the initiative as a “deliberate next step” aligned with the university’s VITAL 2030 strategic vision. “The School of Computing and Data Sciences will be our answer—not a reaction, but a deliberate next step in a shared vision that emphasizes the need to remain agile and forward-thinking as we navigate the rapidly changing global landscape,” Khuri said.

The SCDS will offer undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, with a multidisciplinary focus on the role of data across sectors such as health, environment, and linguistics. The school plans to adopt a systems-based approach to artificial intelligence, integrating research and innovation across traditional academic boundaries.

Abdo Kadifa, Chair of the AUB Board of Trustees and a veteran of Silicon Valley with 43 years of experience, stressed the global ambition behind the project. “We felt at AUB that we have to drive and innovate and be the leader in this field—not just in this region, but globally,” he said. “We intend to amass the expertise, the capabilities, the computing talent, as well as researchers in a variety of fields to deliver a new way for artificial intelligence to prosper—and to deliver prosperity for us here in the region.”

Kadifa emphasized the Board’s full commitment to securing the resources necessary to launch the school, including a $100 million fundraising campaign. This substantial investment reflects the strategic weight AUB places on becoming a hub for computing and data sciences in the Middle East and beyond.

The new school will serve as a hybrid institution—part observatory, part educational incubator, and part computational powerhouse—designed to process and interpret data ranging from the subatomic to the astronomical. Its infrastructure will enable the analysis of complex global phenomena, such as the spread of epidemics through interconnected societies.

The launch of SCDS signals AUB’s intent to position itself at the forefront of innovation, providing students and researchers with the tools to shape the future of AI and data science on a global scale.