Israel's Universities Decline in Global Rankings Amid Funding Cuts and War
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Israel's higher education system is in crisis, causing its universities to lose global standing due to insufficient funding and the impact of the war. The percentage of Israelis with higher education has fallen below the OECD average, while government spending per student is among the lowest in developed nations. The war has forced many young people to delay or abandon their studies, and an international academic boycott is growing, threatening irreversible damage to the sector.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's higher education system faces a severe crisis, leading to a decline in global rankings.
- The percentage of Israelis aged 25-34 with higher education has fallen below the OECD average.
- Government spending per student in Israel is critically low, ranking fifth from the bottom among OECD countries.
- The war has caused over 35% of young people to postpone or abandon their studies.
- An international academic boycott against Israel is intensifying, with authorities reportedly not countering it.
- Experts warn that continued current policies could cause irreversible damage to the higher education system.
Israel's higher education system is facing a severe crisis, leading to a significant decline in its global standing, according to a report by "Calcalist." The country is rapidly losing ground internationally, with its scientific potential threatened by the ongoing war and insufficient government funding. An OECD educational review released on October 11 revealed that Israel has lost its long-standing advantage over developed economies. Between 2015 and 2025, the percentage of Israelis aged 25-34 with higher education remained stagnant at approximately 46%, while the OECD average rose from 42% to 49%, placing Israel below the average for developed nations.
Internal calculations by "Calcalist" corroborate these worrying trends. Over the past six years, the youth population grew by 12.1%, but the student population increased by only 4.3%. Government spending on higher education per student is critically low, standing at $7,885 in 2023 (purchasing power parity adjusted), compared to the OECD average of $16,405, ranking Israel fifth from the bottom. Meanwhile, Gulf and East Asian nations are heavily investing in science, surpassing Israeli universities in global rankings.
The war has also severely impacted higher education accessibility. Approximately 35.9% of young people have postponed or abandoned their studies. Among current university students, 42.2% had to interrupt their education, with 37.5% taking a temporary leave and 4.7% dropping out permanently. Concurrently, an international academic boycott against Israel is gaining momentum, and authorities are reportedly not effectively countering this external pressure.
Experts warn that recovering the damaged sector will require immense effort. If current political policies persist for another term, the damage to the higher education system could become irreversible.
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