Israeli Academia Sees Rise in Haredi, Arab Students, Decline in Women in Tech
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
Enrollment of Haredi, Arab, and Ethiopian-Israeli students in Israeli higher education institutions increased in the 2025-2026 academic year. While women still form the majority of students overall, their numbers have declined in technology and engineering fields. The Council for Higher Education is implementing programs to encourage women in STEM and support underrepresented groups. The number of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds also saw a slight increase.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Haredi, Arab, and Ethiopian-Israeli student numbers rose in Israeli academia for the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Female enrollment decreased in technology and engineering fields like computer science and mathematics.
- Women constitute nearly 59% of all students but are underrepresented in STEM disciplines.
- Haredi student numbers grew by 6.2%, with significant increases in postgraduate studies.
- Arab student enrollment rose by 3.6%, though master's degree numbers declined.
- The Council for Higher Education is offering incentives to boost women in tech and support underrepresented groups.
The number of Haredi, Arab, and Ethiopian-Israeli students in Israel's higher education institutions continues to grow, according to data from the Council for Higher Education (CHE) for the 2025-2026 academic year. However, this overall increase is accompanied by a concerning trend of declining female enrollment in technology-related fields such as engineering, mathematics, statistics, and computer science.
Women still constitute nearly 59% of all students in Israel. Yet, their numbers in key technological disciplines have decreased compared to the previous year. Specifically, female enrollment in engineering saw a 0.4% drop, while mathematics, statistics, and computer science experienced a more significant 5.6% decrease, with 7,617 women studying these subjects, 451 fewer than the year before. Women make up 37% of students in these fields.
In contrast, the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) student population saw a notable increase, with 20,006 students from this background enrolled in academia, a 6.2% rise from the previous year. This includes a 4.9% increase in undergraduate studies and a sharper rise in postgraduate studies, with 15% more students pursuing master's degrees and 18.5% more in doctoral programs. The CHE attributes this growth to expanded preparatory programs, academic support, and scholarship initiatives like the "Tene" program, which considers students' family status and income.
The Arab student population also continued its upward trajectory, reaching 65,386 students, or 19% of the total student body, a 3.6% increase. While undergraduate enrollment rose by 5%, master's degree enrollment saw a 3.2% decline. Ethiopian-Israeli student numbers increased by 4.1% to 4,770, though doctoral enrollment remained stagnant at 22.
To address the decline in women pursuing technology, the CHE's Planning and Budgeting Committee has allocated incentives to academic institutions, including scholarships and support programs. A program called "Kav Ha'mashve" (The Equator Line) has also been renewed to boost the representation of women in academic and management positions. The data also indicated a 3% rise in students from low socioeconomic areas, though their overall proportion remained largely unchanged.
