Israel's Council for Higher Education’s Committee for Planning and Finance has rejected Ariel University's request for the official higher status. It's clear to everyone that the decision is based more on politics and finances rather than the education offered in Ariel.
The Ariel University has been growing rapidly since it was established thirty years ago. At first it was just a branch of Bar Ilan University, but in recent years it went independent offering full degrees in a large variety of subjects.
Its location in Ariel makes it convenient not only for those living in Samaria and the Jordan Valley, but it's just minutes from Rosh Ha'ayin, the Yarkon Junction, Petach Tikva and Kfar Saba. Not only Jews, but Arabs study there. It's a ten minute trip from Shiloh and Eli, so more and more kids come home to live with their parents after the army and go to study in Ariel University. Also, lots of young couples live here because of the short commute. And they wouldn't waste their time and money if the academic level wasn't good in Ariel University.
c. Academic Programs
Students today are offered opportunities in 24 departments in professions ranging from Criminology to Communications Therapy, and from Chemical Engineering to Physiotherapy. In the 2008-2009 academic year, Ariel University Center has 4 faculties and 2 schools:
There's no doubt that if the request had come from another part of the country, it would have had been easily approved. Most Israeli universities are far radically Left in all aspects, and as we all know, there is nothing more paranoid and closed to independent thought than the Left. Just like some of the so called "free thinking" performing artists have refused to perform in Ariel, the official academics are trying to stifle the growth of the University in Ariel. They won't succeed.
3 comments:
I bet it was revenge against the Edmund Levi report.
No matter - it won't keep Jews from moving to Judea and Samaria.
People on the Left are not always at the cutting of history as they like to claim.
Shalom!
The left-wing doesn't want to admit that the right-wing, and especially the right-wing religious, public excels in secular studies that are, according to them, their domain. In the case of Ariel the left-wing conveniently ignores the number of secular and Arab students who value the education that Ariel offers to its students. Parts of Ariel are very, very secular, which also foils the left-wing's stereotype of who lives Yehuda and Shomron.
Norman, I don't know what percentage of students are Jews from Judea/Samaria. There's now a direct bus from Maale Adumim to a from the university for students from there.
Hadassa, no doubt there's jealously of many things.
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