A First at Technion: Freshman Year Program in Science and Engineering in Russian
The Technion has inaugurated a new and unique program for Russian speaking students: Freshman Year in Science and Engineering in the Russian language, integrating an intensive Hebrew language course. From their second year onwards, these students will be able to assimilate into Technion’s regular Hebrew study tracks at the university’s 18 faculties, together with their Israeli counterparts. The first cohort, consisting of 22 students aged 17-25 arriving to Israel from Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus and Moldovia, began their studies at Technion this month. The project is managed and run by the Technion International School, and was developed in cooperation with the “Massa” and “Nativ” organizations, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, which is responsible for the Hebrew portion of the program.
“Your arrival here is a pioneering move,” said Technion President, Professor Peretz Lavie, “I wish my grandfather, who arrived to Israel from the Ukraine at age 17, could have lived to see you all here today. Tour the country and enjoy its rich culture, its peoples and its beautiful landscapes. Eat falafel and learn Hebrew. You were all hand-picked for this program. You are an elite group of young men and women, and it is my greatest hope that you’ll want to stay here at the end of your studies.”
The Director of the “Nativ” organization, Ms. Naomi Ben-Ami, briefed the new students on Technion achievements and on the range of options available to them here. “The screening process for Technion admittance began six months ago,” she said. “This was a professionally managed process that selected the very best candidates. You all made a very good and courageous decision in coming here.
Dr. Sarah Rubinstein from the Ministry of Education welcomed the students and reminded them that this year will also highlight improving their grasp of the Hebrew language: “This year you will study in Russian and learn Hebrew, and in the coming years we hope that you’ll all be able to integrate into the study tracks of any Technion faculty of your choosing.”
“The students in the Freshman Year program take a four-month Mechina (pre-university) program in the Russian language that includes studies in mathematics, physics, and Hebrew. Upon completion of this stage, they will go on to study four Technion academic courses that provide the basis for engineering and science required at each of Technion’s faculties,” explained Ariel Geva, the Managing Director of the Technion International School. “In addition, students will take an intensive Hebrew language course throughout the year, totaling 400 study hours. After successfully completing their first year, these students will then be able to go on to pursue their studies at any of Technion’s engineering and scientific faculties according to their grade point average.”
Professor Arnon Bentur, the Head of the Technion International School, said: “One of the main goals of this program is to encourage students to integrate into the university as regular Technion students. If they do so, they will be eligible for financial assistance from the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption – full funding of their studies at the Technion. In addition, we are recruiting students who are not eligible for aliyah benefits, to come to study at the Technion for its high academic quality.”
The students chose to share their experiences with the ceremony attendees in an original manner. Five of them went up on stage and told their stories sequentially, summarizing their personal absorption process to Israel. “In the first three months after arriving to Israel, we toured many different beautiful places, from the Galilee to the Negev,” they told us. “We saw the Kinneret, Jerusalem and the Shomron. On the way, we visited five top universities, were exposed to lectures, and were given a synopsis on the study options available to us. After we arrived to the Technion, we all made a unanimous decision – we’re staying here.”
Above: Students with the President of the Technion, the Head of “Nativ,” and the Directors of the Technion International School. Photographed by: Mashav Barkon, The Technion Spokesperson’s Office