Israel's Higher Education Suffers Decade of Neglect and War Impact
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Israel's higher education sector is in crisis due to years of governmental neglect and the impact of war, causing it to fall behind international averages. The percentage of young Israelis with higher education degrees has stagnated, while government spending per student is less than half the OECD average. The war has led a significant portion of students to delay or abandon their studies, and academic boycotts are on the rise.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel's higher education sector faces a crisis after years of neglect and war impact.
- The percentage of Israelis aged 25-34 with higher education degrees has stagnated at 46% since 2015.
- Government spending per student in Israel was $7,885 in 2023, less than half the OECD average.
- Over 35% of young Israelis delayed or abandoned studies due to the recent war.
- Academic boycotts against Israel are increasing while other nations invest heavily in their universities.
Recent data reveals a severe crisis in Israel's higher education system, exacerbated by years of conflict and governmental neglect. The public remains largely unaware that Israel possesses world-class academic institutions, considered a top-tier strategic asset. This lack of public awareness means the damage inflicted on academia by the current government, described as viewing higher education as an enemy, has not garnered significant attention, raising concerns it may not be a priority even for a future change government.
Data from the OECD's Education at a Glance report shows that the percentage of Israelis aged 25-34 with higher education degrees stagnated at around 46% between 2015 and 2025. In contrast, the OECD average rose from 42% to 49% during the same period, causing Israel to fall from a position significantly above developed nations to one significantly below.
Further analysis of student enrollment data indicates that the number of young Israelis has grown three times faster than the number of university students over the past six years, with 12.1% growth in the youth population compared to 4.3% in student numbers. Despite higher education's crucial role in economic development, government spending per student in Israel in 2023 was $7,885 (PPP adjusted), less than half the OECD average of $16,405, placing Israel fifth from the bottom.
A report by the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute highlights the war's impact, with 35.9% of young people delaying or abandoning their studies due to the conflict. Additionally, 42.2% of those already enrolled have temporarily suspended or completely withdrawn from their studies. Concurrently, academic boycotts against Israel are increasing, with minimal government action to counter them, while Gulf and East Asian nations are heavily investing in their academic sectors, surpassing Israeli institutions in international rankings.
