Society

A new ISEF Foundation study of 21,000 scholarship applications shows Israeli students shifting away from computer science toward social work and healthcare.

A review by Prof. Ami Moyal commissioned by Education Minister Yoav Kisch exposes a deep trust crisis between the Education Ministry and RAMAH, urging legislative independence and revised national testing frameworks.

Law students at Ono Academic College, including IDF reservists, protested a final assignment containing the term settler terrorists, accusing their professor of political bias.

A social media debate among Israeli teachers exposes deep tensions between educators and teaching assistants, highlighting low wages, class divides, and calls for better classroom coordination.

Tel Hai University opens its academic year as Israel's 11th research institution, welcoming 5,000 students and aiming to boost regional growth and post-war recovery in The North.

As the new academic year opens in Israel, student union head Sivan Koren highlights the heavy toll of reserve duty, soaring living costs, and a looming brain drain, with a third of students considering relocation.

A major student survey reveals that 70% of Israeli students suffer from financial anxiety, reservists report severe burnout, and academic drop-out risks rise as the 2026 academic year opens.

Archaeologists in Iraq have uncovered a monumental 2,600-year-old Assyrian marble stele in Nineveh, featuring rare reliefs of three kings and cuneiform inscriptions.

American philanthropist John Paulson has announced a historic $250 million donation to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, funding a new engineering faculty and trauma research.

Israel's 2026-2027 academic year opened with 350,900 students, showing a 2.1% increase. While computer science saw a decline, electrical engineering surged by up to 20% amid tech shifts.

The Ministry of Education resumes school trips in the north following IDF clearance, while continuing its investigation into the fatal Ma'alot Yeshiva incident.

The Academic College has launched "Program Shachar" to integrate wounded IDF veterans into higher education with full tuition coverage, academic flexibility, and holistic support.

A CBS survey shows 70.1% of young Israelis expect to earn an academic degree. Women lead expectations at 75%, while engineering and social sciences remain top fields of study.

Professor Yakov Hart, president of Netanya Academic College and former director of Sharon and Loewenstein hospitals, passed away at the age of over 40 years in academia and healthcare.

A new survey reveals that 40% of Israeli students avoid political discussions on campus ahead of the October 27 Knesset elections, preferring safe academic spaces over friction.

Israel Teachers Union Secretary-General Yaffa Ben David linked poor PISA scores to severe teacher shortages, criticized lack of protection against school violence, and urged strategic reforms during a conference interview.

A comprehensive survey by the Branco Weiss Institute reveals significant knowledge gaps among Israeli teenagers regarding the Declaration of Independence, while showing strong student interest in studying it.

Tel-Hai Academic College has officially transformed into Kiryat Shmona University in the Galilee, welcoming 5,000 students and aiming to drive economic and social recovery in northern Israel.

The Hebrew University plans to double its medical students via a $90 million overhaul funded partly by US philanthropist Steve Lavin. The project introduces AI monitoring and digital simulation tools to tackle Israel's severe physician shortage.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch announced a 48-hour suspension of school trips in northern areas following a tragic explosion on the Ramim Ridge that killed a 14-year-old student and injured 24 others.

An investigation is underway after a fatal field trip incident in Maalot-Tarshiha. Exclusive data reveals over 1,200 school trip accidents occurred between 2023 and 2025.

A high school principal in Georgia rushed to break up what he thought was a massive cafeteria brawl, only to discover the fight was staged by students to celebrate his birthday.

Five toddlers wandered out of a Petah Tikva daycare unattended after a back gate was left open during cleaning. A local resident's alertness prevented a major disaster.

A substitute science teacher in Rosh HaAyin threw a foam ball at fifth-grade students' heads after they disrupted class, prompting parental outrage and a school investigation.

Ariel University launched a pilot system for elective course registration, replacing the first-come-first-served method with a fair algorithm developed by Prof. Eral Segal-Halevi.

Israel's higher education sector expects over 350,000 students for the 2026-2027 academic year, driven by undergraduate growth, new medical faculties, and robust support for thousands of student reservists.

As students return to classes and prepare for exams, experts explain the science behind exam blackouts. Brain researchers at Bar-Ilan University detail why stress blocks information retrieval and share effective recovery strategies.

Tel Aviv University expects a record 16,657 undergraduate students for the upcoming academic year, driven by rising demand for therapeutic professions, humanities, and social sciences.

Israeli high school students facing two math matriculation exams on the same day this summer criticize the Ministry of Education for excessive academic pressure.

Israel will host the International Jewish Educator Conference in October 2026, bringing together 250 global and 100 Israeli educators to discuss Jewish identity, education challenges, and solidarity.

Prof. Rafael Barkan takes over as the new president of the Holon Institute of Technology, succeeding Prof. Edward Yakubov, with a mandate to advance research and industry ties.

Sixteen-year-old Patrick McCabe from Cheshire, England, who has cerebral palsy, successfully passed seven GCSE exams using only an eye-tracking computer system over four grueling months.

The Israeli Ministry of Education issued an embarrassing apology after distributing an outdated circular for the October 7 memorial day that mistakenly referred to unreturned hostages.

A new medical student village featuring 27 housing units is opening at Kibbutz Amiad in the Galilee, aiming to encourage future doctors to live and work in northern Israel.

The Open University Student Union has withdrawn from the National Union of Students, citing severe representation discrepancies, a deep crisis of trust, and political overreach.

Prominent educator and social activist Ofra Zaidman has passed away. She dedicated her life to social justice, education equality, and philanthropy in Israel.

The Ministry of Education filed a 1.87 million shekel lawsuit against an Ashdod educational association and its officials over false enrollment reports and unprovided staffing funds.

Israeli schools resume classes following a two-week vacation, but high school students return a day later than younger pupils due to differing teachers' union agreements.

A new Shoresh Institution study shows parents' occupations predict children's PISA test scores more than twice as effectively as their education level, accounting for 45% of performance gaps.