President Ron Robin and Rector Gustavo Mesch roll up their
sleeves to advance the Multiversity vision.

 

The  ‘Multiversity’ Gains Momentum

 

We opened the 2018/19 academic year with many wonderful reasons to celebrate. As our ‘Multiversity’ vision takes shape, the University is experiencing unprecedented growth in key areas: physical development, research and student enrollment.

 

In October, we marked the University’s expansion into Haifa’s downtown with the dedication of the Dylan Tauber Educational Complex at 16 Palmer Street. The Dylan Tauber facility, along with three additional buildings in the area, will comprise the first phase of the new Lorry I. Lokey City Campus and will serve as the home for Israel’s first School of Data Sciences, set to open in 2019. The School will include the Departments of Computer Science, Information Systems, Statistics and soon to be approved degree program in Data Sciences. With its distinct metropolitan vibe, the Lorry I. Lokey City Campus promises to serve as a hub for innovative academic programs, collaborative research initiatives and social and cultural activities. We are also pleased to report that, just down the road, construction has begun on The Helmsley Health Discovery Tower (construction progress video below) – our exciting joint venture with Rambam Health Care Campus that will produce scientific breakthroughs and improve access to healthcare in the region.

 

Recently, we celebrated the opening of the University of Haifa and East China Normal University (ECNU) Campus in Shanghai. The Joint Technology Institute (JTI) will serve as an interdisciplinary base for translational research in biomedicine, brain and behavioral research, and environmental studies. Under the academic agreement, the Shanghai campus will host Israeli and Chinese scientists from both universities and advanced degrees will be awarded to students of both institutions.

 

Here on the Mount Carmel campus, our two major construction projects – The Herta and Paul Amir Faculty of Social Sciences Complex and the new building for the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences – are moving forward as planned. And, just a few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of inaugurating a second facility at the Morris Kahn Marine Research Station at Kibbutz Sdot Yam, dedicated to blue technology research.

 

We take tremendous pride in our exceptional academic accomplishments. The University was awarded the Ministry of Defense Military Colleges Tender to lead the prestigious Military Academic Complex. The Complex will bring the IDF’s three military colleges – the National Security College, the Command and Staff College and the Tactical Command College – under one umbrella for the first time. A special team was formed to design the curriculum and we plan to construct a dedicated academic complex on the Mt. Carmel Campus that meets the unique needs of this national security studies initiative.

 

In another national tender, The International School was awarded a major development grant of $2.52 million for a period of two years from Israel’s Council of Higher Education, with a commitment to extend it for an additional two years bringing the total to over $5 million. This unprecedented achievement will enable us to expand our international programs, attract talented students and strengthen our international reputation.

 

This year we continued to recruit and invest in 26 new faculty members from around the world. Thanks to an intensive marketing campaign, undergraduate student enrollment increased by 10% across all faculties. Our research excellence continues to be recognized by The Council of Higher Education, and this year the University’s governmental funding rose to 7.5 % – the equivalent of NIS 221.3 million.

 

We wish to thank the entire University of Haifa community and the unwavering support from our friends and donors in Israel and around the world for helping us achieve these accomplishments. As we continue to grow, our goal is to create optimal conditions for inspiring the next generation of change agents in Haifa, the north, and the entire country.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Prof. Ron Robin             Prof. Gustavo Mesch