Ben-Gurion University in Be'er Sheva has been granted a significant opportunity by the Israeli National Assembly and the Ministry of Education. This esteemed institution is tasked with spearheading the establishment of a dedicated campus aimed at catering to the needs of the ultra-Orthodox population in Israel. This collaborative endeavor will see Ben-Gurion University working hand-in-hand with several other academic institutions, including Sapir Academic College, Kay Academic College of Education, Sami Shimon Academic College of Engineering, Hamada Academic College, and Ashkelon Academic College.
From an academic standpoint, it's crucial to note that each of these campus partnerships will operate independently. This means that the various academic degrees offered will be overseen and conferred by one of the partner institutions, with no overlap between the programs.
Demographically, as of 2020, approximately 30% of the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel resides in the southern district, encompassing areas such as Kiryat Gat, Ofakim, Be'er Sheva, and Kiryat Malachi. Surprisingly, there is currently no dedicated and suitable academic infrastructure in place to address the educational aspirations of this population, despite the evident demand. The forthcoming establishment of this campus, in a location yet to be determined, represents a significant stride towards integrating the ultra-Orthodox society into the labor market, particularly in fields of paramount importance like high-tech, nursing, and education.
איזו ידיעה מקוממת ומכעיסה. וזה מאכזב אותי במיוחד נוכח היותי בוגרת של אוניברסיטת בן גוריון.
— 🟣Tamar Rotman 🇵🇸🏳️🌈🇮🇱 (@Tamaruli) September 26, 2023
@bengurionu pic.twitter.com/2XCOwBXClb
While the educational programs will be conducted on a shared campus, it's crucial to emphasize that the university and its collaborating colleges will each retain individual responsibility for the degrees they offer. These degrees encompass a diverse array of fields, including nursing, accounting, applied economics and management, technological marketing, specialization in Hebrew and informal education for schools, specialization in early childhood, industrial engineering and management, visual communication, software engineering, special education, computer science, and sociology.
Professor Daniel Chamovitz, the President of Ben-Gurion University, expressed his enthusiasm for this initiative, stating, "Establishing a campus for the ultra-Orthodox society is the best expression of Ben-Gurion University's DNA - the development of the Negev and making higher education accessible to a variety of populations. The establishment of the campus will contribute not only to the ultra-Orthodox population that thirsts for academia but will make a significant contribution to society in general."
Ben-Gurion University recommends eating chocolate croissant over cheese sandwich!
— Retsef Levi (@RetsefL) September 24, 2023
Why? It has lower carbon footprint!
Like the lockdowns that destroyed health to reduce COV cases this approach threatens to destroy health to reduce CO2!
Public policies should be about health! pic.twitter.com/FHnQ3tzFtD
Additionally, Professor Arye Rattner, President of the Kay Academic College of Education, underscored the significance of this project, saying, "As a college that has made it its banner to promote a pedagogy of diversity, justice, and inclusion, and even applies these principles on a daily basis in its academic studies and teacher training processes, I am happy to be a partner in the project to establish the campus for the ultra-Orthodox society, which is a clear expression of these values. The imparting of academic knowledge is a significant step towards the integration of ultra-Orthodox society into the entire Israeli public. We will continue to operate and strengthen the project as much as necessary."
