[1][2] He attended the Tripoli Boys School and then earned his BA from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 1950 in political science.

[4] Salem worked as a professor at Johns Hopkins (SAIS) prior to returning to Lebanon to teach in the Political Science and Public Administration department at AUB in 1962.

[3][1] He led negotiations with all relevant regional and international heads of state in the wake of the 1982 Israeli Invasion in order to achieve a withdrawal of foreign forces and to rebuild Lebanese sovereignty.

Student enrollment grew from 700 to 5500; campus building increased from 6 to 40; and the university expanded from 3 to 11 Faculties, including Engineering and Medicine.

Elise is currently a Vice President at the Lebanese American University (LAU);[6] Nina is a professor of pathology and director of cytology at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Medical Center;[7] Adib is an economist and financial consultant; and Paul is a Vice-president of the Middle East Institute.

He currently resides in Btourram, El Koura, where he is translating into Arabic his latest book on his vision for Lebanon.