Israeli Education Leader Calls for Skills-Focused Engineering Training in AI Era

Professor Ami Moyal, chair of the Planning and Budgeting Committee at the Council for Higher Education in Israel, emphasized the urgent need to shift from knowledge acquisition to skill development in engineering education amid the rise of artificial intelligence. Speaking at the "Future of Industry" conference at Holon Institute of Technology (HIT), Moyal advocated for a relevant education system that integrates industry, academia, the military, and early childhood education into a continuous ecosystem. He stressed that excellence in engineering requires creative thinking and skills that increasingly outweigh pure knowledge.

Moyal highlighted that while knowledge remains essential, the fast-changing economy and STEM-driven job market demand cognitive skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and decision-making, alongside non-cognitive skills like teamwork and communication. He criticized the traditional academic stance that confined skill development to industry, arguing that academia must now embed skill acquisition throughout the educational continuum to prepare students for lifelong learning and employment.

Referencing international assessments, Moyal noted Israel’s relatively lower performance in the PISA and PIAAC tests, which measure real-world skills and adult competencies, despite adequate academic knowledge. He called for a unified national vision defining the graduate profile, with coordinated pedagogical and evaluative reforms across all educational stages, from early childhood through military service and higher education.

Moyal also mentioned ongoing initiatives, including a 120 million shekel fund to support academic institutions in northern and southern Israel to collaborate with industry on campus infrastructure. He warned that without a systematic, nationwide approach to skill development, overreliance on AI technologies could undermine human capabilities. Ultimately, he urged a comprehensive pedagogical transformation to equip the younger generation with the skills necessary for societal participation, economic growth, and national resilience in an AI-driven future.