2018/2019 Academic Year – Let’s Hit the Road!

Some 1,885 new students, 40% of them women, begin their studies today at Technion

The main teaching building on campus – the Ullmann – got a new look as dozens of classrooms were upgraded to include advanced teaching technologies

The 2018/2019 academic year starts at the Technion today, October 21, 2018. This year, 1,885 new students join the Technion student community, with a total population of 13,500 students in 17 faculties. Some 9,200 will study for bachelor’s degrees and 4,300 for graduate degrees. This year, 1,150 graduate students will study for a doctorate degree and the rest for a master’s degree.

The proportion of women among the new students and the total population of undergraduates at the Technion is 40%, following Technion’s strategy to increase the percentage of women in academia. Over the past decade, this policy has led to a significant increase in the percentage of female students who choose academic studies in science and engineering at the Technion.

The Technion’s main campus in Haifa has been invested with significant resources for construction and development over the past year. A particularly extensive renovation took place at the Ullman Building, the main teaching building on campus. Dozens of new classrooms were built, renovated, and equipped with advanced teaching technologies. New learning spaces and 600 seats were added.

In recent years, the Technion has become a global center of knowledge. On the one hand, the Technion has over 800 students from more than 30 countries. On the other, the Technion is expanding its international presence. It now has research collaborations with over 200 leading universities around the world. Its two branches, which opened last year in China and the United States, will have about 680 students this year. Of these, 198 will study for a joint master’s degree at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute – an applied sciences and engineering institute in the heart of Manhattan – and about 480 will study at the Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) in China.

On Thursday morning, Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie welcomed the new students: “Today, you join one the world’s leading academic institutions;” he said, “But first and foremost, you are joining a new family: the Technion family. Our tremendous investment in our students, who are Israel’s best, is evident throughout the campus. We offer you an unparalleled quality of life. The Technion campus has the greatest number of dormitories in Israel; we offer housing for 5,000 students, a number that will continue to increase. As you tour our green, flourishing campus, you will find all the services imaginable: sports facilities and excellent swimming pools, the Student Union Building with its variety of services and activities, the ecological garden, and other charming spots to be discovered over the years.

“In the past few years, we revolutionized Technion’s teaching methods. We brought about a change in the atmosphere and the Technion’s image as a rigid institution that wasn’t considerate of its students. The results of an annual survey of the teaching quality in Israeli academia conducted by the National Union of Israeli Students were published last week, showing that the Technion is in the lead in this regard. This is the third consecutive year that we have been at the top of the survey after years of being at the bottom.”

Dean of Undergraduate Studies Prof. Orit Hazzan presented the new students with a survey conducted last year. “Two main reasons lead students to choose the Technion: the high level of education and the reputation. The studies here are not easy, but they will give you the skills that will help you in the future. You join a quality group – one of the best in Israel. The ability to work in science and engineering gives you the tools to change the world.”

The Dean of Students Prof. Benny Natan said: “You’ve come to a Technion that is different from what it used to be. Today’s Technion has very diverse activities outside of the academic, and a social life. It is important that you remember that we are here for you in the Dean’s office. True wisdom is knowing when to ask for help, and if you need help on any subject – dormitories, scholarships, and loans, academic assistance, personal counseling, etc. – you are welcome to come to us.”

Chairman of the Technion Students Association Amir David Nissan Cohen told the new students: “At the Student Union, we are doing our utmost to help you succeed. The Technion is outstanding not only in terms of academics; we hold parties and dozens of cultural events every semester. The Technion Students’ Association does not engage in politics – only in promoting the welfare of students at the Technion.”

New curricula

New elite program at the Technion: the “Alonim” Data Science Program

A new elite, ground-breaking program within the IDF’s academic reserve is underway at the Technion: the Alonim Data Science Program. This is a significant step in the collaboration between the IDF and the Technion. The Technion pioneered a bachelor’s degree in data science and engineering two years ago and has two data science master’s programs.

After a very careful selection and screening processes, 18 participants were chosen for the first cycle of the Alonim program out of 150 candidates. The curriculum is very intensive: in only 4.5 years, students will complete a bachelor’s degree, a demanding four-year degree like other engineering degrees at the Technion, and a master’s degree in research. The program’s participants will be guided and mentored by both the Technion and the IDF.

The students will study in a world-class academic environment. This environment relies on a wide range of world-renowned researchers in the various disciplines that make up the world of data science; the use of innovative teaching infrastructures that enable working with vast databases of data while studying; and close cooperation with industry. At the end of their studies, the graduates will be integrated into innovative research and development projects in various IDF technology units and will serve as the the army’s cutting edge in data science.

According to the Harvard Business Review, data science is the most sought-after profession of the 21st century. This reality led to the Technion’s decision to expand in this field and launch the bachelor’s degree track in data science and engineering, headed by Profs. Avigdor Gal and Oren Kurland.

The elite Alonim program was put together by the Dean of the Davidson Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Prof. Carmel Domshlak; Profs. Oren Kurland, Avigdor Gal, and Shoham Sabach, who manage the data science programs; and Dr. Gila Molcho, Data Science Coordinator at the Davidson Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management at the Technion. In the IDF, the program is led by Brigadier-General Eran Shani, head of the Personnel Management Planning Division. The head of the Academic-Technological Personnel Administration, Lieutenant-Colonel Itay Levanon, and IDF Data Science Liaison Colonel S. manage the program on behalf of the army.

The “Bareket” Academic Reserve Program – a first master’s degree in Israel

The new academic reserve program, Bareket, led by Prof. Moshe Tennenholtz, is designed for outstanding students who completed a bachelor’s degree during high school. The program grants a master’s degree within two years and is the first academic reserve master’s degree program at the Technion; it joins the Galim and Arazim programs at Tel Aviv University. Seven students will study at the Technion (a total of 14 country-wide) out of the 90 who applied to the program. “These are particularly brilliant students who completed an undergraduate degree in mathematics or computer science with an average of 96,” says Dr. Gila Molcho, the Data Science coordinator at the Davidson Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management at the Technion. “The program provides a solution to the IDF’s shortage of information people who are also developers.”

The #Ladders Program – an introduction to research at the Technion

New employment opportunities were made available to Technion students through the #Ladders program, which introduces research carried out at the Technion to undergraduate students. According to Dean of Undergraduate Studies Prof. Orit Hazzan, who initiated the unique project: “The new program offers students from all faculties an opportunity to gain practical experience and join research teams at the Technion during their undergraduate studies. This experience will add value to their CVs and professional futures, whether they choose an academic career as graduate students or faculty members, or whether they choose careers in industry as entrepreneurs or employees.”

A new course called “Introduction to Research at the Technion” is being launched as part of the program; students from a variety of faculties will be introduced to researchers and research at the Technion.