By Shlomo Anapolle
With low costs, immersion in the Start-Up Nation, and rising anti-Semitism, it’s no wonder scholars are opting for the Jewish state.
There are many reasons why students decide to pack their bags and study in Israel. After all, there are many destinations where you can get a world-class education in one of the most advanced countries in the world, while still surrounded by history and enjoying. The sun for (maximum) of the year.
That’s why, according to the Israel Council of Higher Education, around 12,000 foreign scholars each year decide to make Israel their home. In addition, unlike the decline in enrollment of foreign students in other countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased interest in Israel as a study abroad destination.
U. S. higher education establishments The U. S. government is still recovering from the pandemic, which most academics have been forced to examine remotely, depriving them of the benefits of the in-person school experience, such as networking opportunities and a thriving social life.
International student enrolment rates around the world reflect this shift. According to Boundless, U. S. schools are not allowed to do so. The U. S. Department of Justice experienced an 18% reduction compared to the number of active M-1 and F-1 fellows before the pandemic. In Australia, the number of foreign visa students decreased to 54% between October 2019 and October 2021. In Japan, foreign enrollment fell by 13. 3% during the same two years. Degree resolutions in a fast country: fell 26% between the winter semester 2019-20 and the winter semester 2021-22.
However, Israel is observing the opposite trend. For 20 years before the pandemic, 5% of academics who came to Israel during their full year chose to stay in the country to continue their studies. This number is over 20%.
Why is Israel challenging the global enrollment trend?First, more and more academics and parents know that it doesn’t make sense to pay for an expensive degree when all you get from the experience is a part of the program. Instead, through Coming to Israel, foreign scholars can broaden their horizons and venture outside their zones of convenience, while getting an education at a fraction of the cost. Tuition in the United States can reach $75,000 per year, but a degree in Israel costs less than $5,000 consistent with the year.
The socio-economic face of Israel has also dramatically replaced. We are no longer a socialist country explained through the kibbutz; we are the Start-Up Nation, characterized by high-tech corporations that have a global impact.
In fact, the generation market is insatiable. Yes, there are layoffs in the tech industry right now, but the task is easy to locate if you have the right skills. A quick search on LinkedIn, FreshBoards and Indeed shows that employers are still hiring, but are looking for nothing specific. And despite the layoffs, a report from OurCrowd says tech corporations are looking for “hiring of R-S.
At the same time, a computer science degree is not a necessity to succeed in the tech world. Last year, Israel saw 30,000 vacancies in high-tech and business, 200% accumulating during 2020. Meanwhile, 12,000 of the tasks were in non-high-tech roles.
Finally, while it is arguably uncomfortable to recognize this as a motivation behind a transitory or permanent move to Israel, anti-Semitism is on the rise around the world, especially on American school campuses. According to the watchdog organization StopAntisemitism; 55% of American academics report suffering from anti-Semitism on campus; 72% say university administrations do not take anti-Semitism and private protection seriously; 55% say they want to hide their aid to Israel; and 73% hide their Jewish identity on campus.
Higher education is much more than what is found in textbooks. It’s an experiment. In Israel, between exciting trips where one can see the effects of more than 2,000 years of history, being informed of the newest cutting-edge technologies in one of the most avant-garde countries in the world, being the only country made through Jews and for Jews, it is no wonder that reading there has become a popular choice.
Shlomo Anapolle is Director of the International English Program at Jerusalem College of Technology.