Higher Education in the Galilee: Developments and Challenges

1. Higher Education in the Galilee: Developments and Challenges Caesarea23.11.11

2. Topics • Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures • Widening Access & Investment in Human Capital • Physical Development • Research Excellence – I-CORE • Academic Development in the Galilee

3. Israeli HE System – At a Glance • 298,400students in 67 institutions • 48 % students among relevant age group (record) • Colleges become dominant in undergraduate studies • 25% of students study in the periphery

4. Number of Students in Higher Education System 20 years of accelerated growth (times 3) 2011 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2011/12

5. Undergraduate Students by Institutions (2011/12) • 19% • Open University • 52% 59Colleges • 29% • 7 Research Universities תואר I: 230,000 Total – 230,000 Students

6. Institutions of HE in Israel 1990 2011 INSTITUTIONS 21 67 Universities 7 7 Open University 1 1 Art Academies 2 2 Comprehensive Colleges 0 12 Engineering Colleges 2 7 Teacher Training Colleges 7 23 Non-Budgeted Comprehensive Colleges 2 15 STUDENTS 89,000 298,400

7. 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

8. Arab Students’ participation in 2010/11

9. Undergraduate Students %by District of Study

10. Percentage of Students in the Periphery North+South = total 25% North South 2010 1990 1995 2000 2005 2011

11. Topics • Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures • Widening Access & Investment in Human Capital • Physical Development • Research Excellence – I-CORE • Academic Development in the Galilee

12. The New Multi-Year Plan (2011-2016): Two Main Pillars Improving Access PromotingExcellence • Minorities • Ultra-religious • Periphery • Recruiting top faculty • Increasing competitive research resources • Supporting Platforms: • Substantial additional budget • Improved budgeting model • Research & teaching infrastructure

13. The New Budgeting Model: Main Features • 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 • 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

14. 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 studentsin 2011 are eligible

15. 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 • Annualassistance to 3000 new students beginning undergraduate and preparatory tracks

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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 participationin conferences and training programs

19. Topics • Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures • Investment in Human Capital • Physical Development • Research Excellence – I-CORE • Academic Development in the Galilee

20. New Budget for HEIs Physical Development 2011-2016 • 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

21. 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 companies Proposed Solution: • One funded enterprise for commercializing knowledge • Enterprise will work with all budgeted colleges • Facilitating technology transfer unhandled currently • Developing relations between colleges and industry Time to accomplish • January 2012 – Request For Information • October 2012 – Operational mode

22. College B College A Research HEI • PUSH • PULL • MATCH-MAKING Industrial Enterprise New Company Industrial Enterprise Connecting with industrial Enterprises: License agreements Service Agreements Chief Scientist tracks for tech transfer Venture Capital Fund Patent Registering Patent Register Office

23. Topics • Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures • Investment in Human Capital • Physical Development • Research Excellence – I-CORE • Academic Development in the Galilee

24. I-CORE:Israeli Centers of Research Excellence “An Association of excellent researchers in a defined scientific field, for the purpose of advancing and deepening innovative, breakthrough research within this field” College 1 Univ. 2 Hospital 1 Univ. 1 Research Center 1 New Recruits Total: ~10-20 Leading Researchers

25. I-CORE:Israeli Centers of Research Excellence - 2 • Main Goals: • 1. Strengthening research in Israel: establishing world leadership in selected research areas • Assisting excellent researchers to return to Israel • Creating a critical mass and strengthening relative competitive advantages • Promoting academic innovation, including inter-disciplinary research • Encouraging cooperation between institutions

26. 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

27. The First Four I-CORE Centers 2011-2012 Systems-Level Analysis of the Molecular basis for Human Diseases: From Genomics to Personalized Therapy • Renewable & Sustainable Sources of Energy Advanced Approaches in Cognitive Sciences Advanced Topics in Computer Sciences

28. The Winning Groups First Four I-CORE Centers Gene Regulation in Complex Human Disease Scientific 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 Israeli Solar Fuel Consortium Scientific Director: Prof. Gideon Grader, Technion Members: 27 existing researchers from The Technion, Weizmann Institute of Science, Ben Gurion University; at least 3 additional new researchers in the first year Study of the Reconstructive Mind: From Percept to Memory and Back Scientific Director: Prof. Yadin Dudai, Weizmann Institute of Science Members: 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 year Algorithms Scientific Director: Prof. Yishay Mansour, Tel Aviv University Members: 24 existing researchers from Tel Aviv University, Weizmann Institute of Science, Hebrew Unviersity; at least 4 additional new researchers in the first year 28

29. Topics • Higher Education in the North – Facts & Figures • Investment in Human Capital • Physical Development • Research Excellence – I-CORE • Academic Development in the Galilee

30. 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

31. New School of Medicine in Safed - 2 Excellence in teaching and research Innovation in medical studies Developing the Galilee

32. 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

33. “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/PBC moshev@che.org.il 972-2-5679928