Israeli Universities See Slower Growth, Shift in Student Preferences
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Israel's academic year תשפ"ז will see 350,900 students in 57 institutions, but growth has slowed to 2.1%. Non-subsidized colleges grew by 9.7% while universities grew by only 1%. Enrollment is shifting from computer science to fields like AI, health, and social sciences, which remains the largest undergraduate field.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Approximately 350,900 students will study in 57 Israeli higher education institutions this academic year.
- The overall student growth rate has slowed to 2.1%, down from 2.8% last year.
- Non-subsidized colleges saw a 9.7% enrollment increase, while universities grew by only 1%.
- Enrollment is declining in computer science, mathematics, and statistics.
- New undergraduate programs in artificial intelligence and data science are launching this year.
- Social sciences remain the largest undergraduate field, followed closely by engineering.
The upcoming academic year in Israel, תשפ"ז, is expected to enroll approximately 350,900 students across 57 higher education institutions. However, the growth rate of the system has slowed to 2.1%, a decrease from last year's 2.8%, despite a growing young population. Data from the Council for Higher Education indicates a notable shift in student choices, with non-subsidized colleges experiencing a 9.7% enrollment increase, while universities saw only a 1% rise.
The surge in student numbers is primarily driven by undergraduate enrollment, with fields like education, law, social sciences, and humanities showing increased interest. Conversely, enrollment in computer science, mathematics, and statistics has declined. While engineering fields maintained their student numbers overall, specific disciplines like electrical and electronics engineering, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering saw growth.
Despite the dip in computer science applications, there's a continued demand for technological studies, with students adapting their choices to the evolving high-tech industry and job market. This year also marks the significant integration of artificial intelligence into undergraduate programs, with six new AI and data science courses launching in universities and colleges, expecting around 800 students. High demand persists for medicine, dentistry, health professions, architecture, and engineering. Social sciences remain the largest undergraduate field, with 37,711 students (17.4% of all undergraduates), closely followed by engineering with 37,596 students (17.3%).
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