Faculty of Mathematics<\/a> in recognition of championing teaching excellence and academic services to all Technion students. The Awards Committee emphasized that, \u201cthe Faculty\u2019s activities are characterized by a high level of attention to the quality of teaching, excellent service, as well as for its demonstrated empathy to student needs and introduction of educational and technological initiatives.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cThis is a festive day for education at Technion,\u201d remarked Technion President, Prof. Peretz Lavie at the awards ceremony. \u201cWe recognize today the award recipients who set an example to all lecturers on campus. It can be said that the \u2018Yanai Prize\u2019 has far-reaching effects on academic education at the Technion and even beyond.\u201d The President referred to the consent of the Senate to approve the recommendations of the \u201cCohen Committee\u201d to ease the academic workload: \u201cAll of the Committee\u2019s recommendations were intended to lighten the pressure on our students without compromising academic excellence, which is our guiding principle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe view our award winners as a unit of high quality dignitaries that influence teaching standards on campus,\u201d remarked Technion\u2019s Vice President for Research and Chairperson of the Prize Committee, Prof. Gadi Schuster. \u201cLast year we announced that lecturers who do not meet good teaching standards will not teach core courses and it gives me great pleasure to report today that we have nearly achieved our goal. Today only 5% out of 800 core courses taught at Technion are not taught up to standard, and we are working hard to improve this figure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Merav Proyam, Chairperson of the Student\u2019s Association\u2019s Academic Committee who was party to the selection process of the award winners said that, \u201cThis is a period of blossoming and growth for Technion students. Over the past two years the Technion is has been putting the needs of students as one of its top priorities and has significantly improved teaching and learning conditions at the university. I thank the Yanai family, which gave us students, the opportunity to honor are most highly esteemed lecturers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moshe Yanai, a global pioneer in the field of information storage, in his making his contribution sought to give back to the Technion in gratitude for the life skills that the institute bestowed to him during his studies here 40 years ago. Since he recalls the years of study at the university with hardship and periods of difficulty, he decided together with Technion President, Prof. Peretz Lavie, to contribute 12 million dollars to award lecturers who have demonstrated teaching excellence, a gift that will also greatly benefit Technion students. The prize, which awards 100 thousand Shekels to each recipient, will be given over a period of ten years. In Moshe Yanai\u2019s closing remarks he thanked the Technion for enabling him to give back to the academic community in a way that is both noteworthy and beneficial. \u201cTo sign the check is the easy part,\u201d he said. \u201cThe difficulty is in achieving the desired return. In the academic world, success is a product of research and the publication of academic literature, and I really appreciate those of you who also invest in teaching, because this isn\u2019t always self-evident.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"yanai2\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/yanai21.jpg\")
<\/a>The Yanai Prize for Excellence in Academic Education was awarded to ten Technion faculty members and to the Faculty of Mathematics. The awards ceremony was attended by the Yanai family, who endowed the prize, award recipients and their families, and Technion lecturers and students. This is the third year in a row that the prestigious prize has been awarded, \u201cin appreciation of faculty members, who set an example through their endless contributions to teaching and learning and for their efforts to improve student involvement and sense of belonging to the Technion.\u201d<\/p>\n