65,000 Arab Students in Israeli Universities Focus on Future AI-Driven Fields
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS Arabic by baba
Around 65,000 Arab students are enrolled in Israeli higher education, with most pursuing bachelor's degrees. The Director General of the Ruwad program, Nogham Abu Harfi Samara, noted a decade of growth and stressed the importance of advanced degrees for job market integration. The program aims to address academic dropout by guiding students toward future-oriented fields like AI, data science, and modern engineering.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- 65,000 Arab students are enrolled in Israeli higher education institutions.
- The majority of Arab students, over 82%, are pursuing bachelor's degrees.
- Nogham Abu Harfi Samara highlighted a decade of consistent growth in Arab student enrollment.
- Academic dropout is a significant challenge for Arab students transitioning to university.
- Students are encouraged to pursue future-oriented fields like AI, data science, and modern engineering.
- Guidance programs are crucial for helping students choose suitable majors and integrate into the workforce.
Approximately 65,000 Arab students are currently enrolled in Israeli higher education institutions, marking a significant increase over recent years. These students are pursuing various academic degrees, with 54,353 in bachelor's programs, 10,200 in master's programs, and 1,143 in doctoral programs. Nogham Abu Harfi Samara, Director General of the Ruwad program for higher education, highlighted that these figures represent consistent growth over the past decade, with a notable presence of female students. She emphasized that the goal extends beyond increasing numbers to achieving advanced degrees that ensure sustainable integration into the job market.
Samara pointed out that Arab students face challenges such as academic dropout, often due to the abrupt transition from high school to university without adequate preparation. To combat this, she stressed the importance of guidance programs that help students choose fields aligned with their abilities and provide ongoing support throughout their studies and after graduation to ensure professional integration.
Regarding future career paths, Samara urged students to move away from traditional majors and focus on emerging fields that blend science and technology. Key areas include the integration of health and technology, data science in the context of the AI revolution, modern engineering, energy, and sustainability. She also noted that therapeutic and psychological fields remain resistant to replacement by AI.
Samara concluded by underscoring the need to equip students with flexible skills that enhance their adaptability to rapid technological changes in the job market, in addition to academic achievement.
