On December 22nd, 2011, the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) issued decree No.7265, leading to the establishment of Al Maaref University, known also as MU.

In January 2015, MU came to fruition and in October 2015 embarked on teaching delivery after having the approval for starting its academic operations and courses delivery from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

The University is a not-for-profit, private university in Lebanon, a subsidiary organization of the Islamic Association for Learning and Education (IALE) that has been operating since 1995.

Al Maaref University has five established faculties. These are: 

1. Business Administration (BA),
2. Mass Communication and Fine Arts (MCFA),
3. Religions and Humanities (RH), including Translation and Languages department.
4. Engineering
5. Sciences

The University is about to submit an application for the Faculty of Education.

Organization

Al Maaref University has an organizational structure that is faculty-based, led by a University President, guided by a Board of Trustees of 12 notable members of the Lebanese society, governed by a University Council made up of Faculty Deans, Vice Presidents, and a Secretary General, and supported by eight Professional Support Services Directorates. 

Academics

Each faculty runs majors in different disciplines leading to a recognized Bachelor Degree in Arts and Sciences: B.A. & B.S. The university has plans to expand furthermore the majors offered within the existing faculties. 

The Faculty of Business Administration offers eight majors in the following areas:

1. Accounting
2. Banking and Finance
3. Economics
4. Human Resources Management
5. Management
6. International Business
7. Marketing
8. Information Technology and Management Systems

The Faculty of Mass Communication and Fine Arts offers four majors in the following areas:

1. Media Studies
2. Journalism and Digital Media
3. Advertising and Public Relations
4. Radio and Television

The Faculty of Religions and Humanities offers six majors in the following areas:

1. Comparative Religions
2. Qur'an and Hadith Studies 
3. History and Comparative Civilizations
4. Islamic Studies
5. Philosophy and Theology
6. Translation and Languages (Arabic, English, French, Persian, etc.)

Market

Al Maaref University expects to attract students from across the Lebanese society covering the public and private sectors. MU targets students from regional and international markets going in line with the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education equivalence Bylaws. 

The primary market target of Al Maaref University is the young generation who finished their 12 years of schooling with particular emphasis on those underprivileged sectors of society who are striving to afford entering the realm of higher education, in addition to transfers from other recognized tertiary education institutions and colleges.