Higher Education in the Galilee:

Developments and Challenges

Caesarea 23.11.11

• Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures

• Widening Access & Investment in Human Capital

• Physical Development

• Research Excellence – I-CORE

• Academic Development in the Galilee

Topics

Israeli HE System – At a Glance

298,400 students in 67 institutions

48 % students among relevant age group (record)

Colleges become dominant in undergraduate studies

25% of students study in the periphery

Number of Students in Higher Education System

2011200519851980 1990 1995 2000 2011/12

20

years of accelerated

growth (times 3)

Undergraduate Students by Institutions (2011/12)

:Iתואר 230,000

29% 7 Research

Universities

52%

59 Colleges

19% Open

University

Total – 230,000 Students

Institutions of HE in Israel

1990 2011INSTITUTIONS 21 67Universities 7 7 Open University 1 1Art Academies 2 2Comprehensive Colleges 0 12Engineering Colleges 2 7Teacher Training Colleges 7 23Non-Budgeted Comprehensive Colleges 2 15

STUDENTS 89,000 298,400

HE in the North and Haifa (2010/11)

56,250 students study in 21 institutions

In Haifa district: 9 institutions

Arab students’ participation in Northern HEIs (incl. Haifa) is 26.5%

23.3% of all Israeli undergraduates study in the northern district, 9.5% study in the Galilee region

In the last decade, number of students in the northern district has tripled

Arab Students’ participation in 2010/11

DistrictLevel of StudyStudent

Numbers%

North +Haifa

All levels14,90026.5

Undergraduate12,50029.3

NorthUndergraduate5,37030.8All Districts

All levels25,50010.4

Undergraduate20,75011.3

Undergraduate Students % by District of Study

District199020002011North..5.39.5

Haifa21.717.913.8

South8.713.915.3Center4.115.916.9Tel Aviv42.831.531.2Jerusalem22.715.513.3Total (%)100.0100.0100.0

North

South

North+South = total 25%

Percentage of Students in the Periphery

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2011

• Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures

• Widening Access & Investment in Human Capital

• Physical Development

• Research Excellence – I-CORE

• Academic Development in the Galilee

Topics

The New Multi-Year Plan (2011-2016):Two Main Pillars

Supporting Platforms:•Substantial additional budget•Improved budgeting model•Research & teaching infrastructure

Supporting Platforms:•Substantial additional budget•Improved budgeting model•Research & teaching infrastructure

•Recruiting top faculty•Increasing competitive research resources

•Minorities•Ultra-religious•Periphery

PromotingExcellence

Improving Access

Reforming the model after 18 years:

1. Outcome based budgeting: shortening the period between outcome and budget

2. Incentivizing institutions to hire new faculty and strengthen competitive advantages

3. Competition for excellence in research: emphasizing scientific publications and competitive grants

4. Addressing national needs: periphery, labor market

5. The model is transparent to institutions and general public

The New Budgeting Model:Main Features

Encouraging Academic Studies in the Periphery

As of 2011, first year of undergraduate studies in budgeted colleges – free!

Target groups: Young students who finished national service duty (since January 2010) :

•Reside in peripheral areas •Are planning to study in the periphery

Budgeted Colleges only

25% of newly registered students in 2011 are eligible

Encouraging Academic Studies in the Periphery - 2

Hesegim Program (2002)

Funded by the PBC, Ministries of Defense and Housing, JDC & Gruss Foundation

45 Centers in Israel’s periphery, serve 20,000 young people in Jewish, Arab, Druze & Bedouin communities

Annual assistance to 3000 new students beginning undergraduate and preparatory tracks

Widening Access to Under-represented Groups July 2011: PBC’s special committee for increasing

the participation of Arab students in higher education submits its recommendations:•Establishing a national information center

in Arabic•Support for programs decreasing drop-out

rates•Pilot program for transitory studies at the

Open University•Excellence program for MA & PhD

Students•Establishing a national supervisory

steering committee August 2011: The PBC confirms

recommendations and allocates 12 m Shekels for implementation in 2011

Widening Access to Under-represented Groups - 2

New Multi-year program (2011-2016) includes budget increase for:

•3600 additional Arab students •3000 additional Ultra-Orthodox students

6 special pilot-preparatory tracks for Arab and minority students:•North: Tel-Hai, Technion, Western Galilee

College, Ort Braude•South: Sapir College, Ben Gurion University

Additional preparatory tracks for Ultra-Orthodox are planned

Investment in Quality Staff in Colleges 2011: For the first time, a new employment

agreement for the senior academic staff in budgeted colleges:

•Flexibility in management

•Bonuses for outstanding lecturers

•Bonuses for winning competitive grants

•Decrease in teaching hours in return for

research

•Budget for participation in conferences

and training programs

• Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures

• Investment in Human Capital

• Physical Development

• Research Excellence – I-CORE

• Academic Development in the Galilee

Topics

New Budget for HEIs Physical Development2011-2016

490 m Shekels allocated

Preference given to HEIs in the periphery and in national priority areas

300 m Shekels will be allocated according to development needs with a special boost to periphery

5 Budgeted academic colleges in the Galilee are currently eligible to more than 70 m Shekels for development of infrastructure

A New Model for Technology Transfer between Colleges and Industry

Main Challenges: Lack of Critical Mass within institutions Relatively narrow specialization in each

institution Financial risks involved for small companiesProposed Solution: One funded enterprise for commercializing

knowledge Enterprise will work with all budgeted colleges Facilitating technology transfer unhandled

currently Developing relations between colleges and

industryTime to accomplish January 2012 – Request For Information October 2012 – Operational mode

New Company

College A

Industrial Enterprise

Patent Registerin

gPatent Register Office

Research HEI

Industrial Enterprise

Venture Capital Fund

Connecting with industrial Enterprises:

1. License agreements

2. Service Agreements

3. Chief Scientist tracks for tech transfer

• PUSH• PULL• MATCH-MAKING

College B

• Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures

• Investment in Human Capital

• Physical Development

• Research Excellence – I-CORE

• Academic Development in the Galilee

Topics

“An Association of excellent researchers in a defined

scientific field,

for the purpose of advancing and deepening innovative,

breakthrough research within this field”

Univ. 1Univ. 1

Univ. 2Univ. 2 College 1College 1

Hospital 1Hospital 1

Research Center 1

Research Center 1

Total: ~10-20 Leading Researchers

New Recruits

I-CORE: Israeli Centers of Research Excellence

I-CORE: Israeli Centers of Research Excellence -

2

Main Goals:

1. Strengthening research in Israel: establishing world leadership in selected research areas

2. Assisting excellent researchers to return to Israel

3. Creating a critical mass and strengthening relative competitive advantages

4. Promoting academic innovation, including inter-disciplinary research

5. Encouraging cooperation between institutions

The I-CORE Program: In a Nut-Shell

20 to 30 I-COREs in 2011-2015 in various research areas

Budget allocated by Israeli government: ~$125 m

(450 m Shekels);

Three-fold leveraging to a Total Budget of ~$375 m

Guiding Principles: Cooperation: Universities, Colleges, Hospitals,

Research

Institutes

A competitive process per research area

Professional scientific international evaluation

committees

The First Four I-CORE Centers 2011-2012

Advanced Topics in Computer

Sciences

Advanced Approaches in Cognitive

Sciences

Systems-Level Analysis of the Molecular basis for Human Diseases: From

Genomics to Personalized Therapy

Renewable & Sustainable

Sources of Energy

The Winning Groups First Four I-CORE Centers

28

Gene Regulation in Complex Human DiseaseScientific Director: Prof. Howard Cedar, Hebrew University Members: 19 existing researchers from The Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, Sheba Medical Center, Hadassah Medical Center; at least 4 additional new researchers in the first year

Study of the Reconstructive Mind: From Percept to Memory and BackScientific Director: Prof. Yadin Dudai, Weizmann Institute of ScienceMembers: 24 existing researchers from Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, Emek Izrael Academic College, Sourasky Medical Center; at least 3 additional new researchers in the first yearAlgorithmsScientific Director: Prof. Yishay Mansour, Tel Aviv UniversityMembers: 24 existing researchers from Tel Aviv University, Weizmann Institute of Science, Hebrew Unviersity; at least 4 additional new researchers in the first year

Israeli Solar Fuel ConsortiumScientific Director: Prof. Gideon Grader, TechnionMembers: 27 existing researchers from The Technion, Weizmann Institute of Science, Ben Gurion University; at least 3 additional new researchers in the first year

• Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures

• Investment in Human Capital

• Physical Development

• Research Excellence – I-CORE

• Academic Development in the Galilee

Topics

New School of Medicine in Safed 2007-2010: The CHE decides to establish a new

school of medicine in the Galilee, publishes a call for proposals, chooses Bar Ilan University to lead the school

30.10.2011: 5th medical school in Israel is opened!

124 students are studying in Safed in 2011:

•70 students in a 4 year program

•54 returning students in a 3 year program

Total number of 1st year medical students:

694

New School of Medicine in Safed - 2

Innovation in medical studies

Excellence in teaching and

research

Developing the Galilee

New School of Medicine – A Wealth of Opportunities Enhancement of medical services in the Galilee

Increase of medical research options

2/3 of school staff will reside in the region

Close cooperation with hospitals and medical

services

Cooperation between colleges in para-medical

subjects

School will attract new industry and will increase

job opportunities

“You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it”

Rabbi Tarfon

Thank you!Moshe Vigdor

Director-General CHE/PBCmoshev@che.org.il

972-2-5679928