About Ariel University Center of Samaria
Expanding Horizons from the Heartland
Ariel University Center of Samaria (Ariel University Center of Samaria) is at the forefront of a dramatic change that is taking place in higher education in Israel.
Located in the City of Ariel, a bustling community of 20,000 people in the Samarian hills, the University Center is helping to pioneer a new future for Israel and its younger generation. Established in 1982, the University Center has since grown and diversified to meet the new challenges of a burgeoning society with rapidly changing needs.
Ariel University Center of Samaria is the largest of its kind and one of the fastest-growing academic institutions in the country, with 8,500 students, representing the full spectrum of Israeli society: Jew & Arab, secular & observant, new immigrant & veteran Israeli.
Students from across the country attend the University Center, with 70% coming from the greater Tel Aviv area and central Israel and the remainder from northern and southern Israel. As such, the school is a truly national institution and serves as a “melting pot” for all levels of Israel's society.
As a demonstratively Zionist institution, the University Center has two key requirements: every student must study one course per semester on some aspect of Judaism, Jewish heritage or Land of Israel studies, and the Israeli flag must be displayed in every classroom, laboratory and auditorium on campus.
Academic Excellence
Every year, Ariel University Center of Samaria provides thousands of students with the strong academic education and professional training needed to succeed in today’s highly competitive marketplace in Israel.
The University Center offers undergraduate studies in a wide variety of subjects: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering & Electronics, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Industrial Engineering & Management, Mechanical Engineering, Architecture, Physiotherapy, Health Management, Nutrition, Medical Physics, Social Work, Behavioral Sciences, Economics & Business Management, Mass Communications, Israel & Middle Eastern Studies, Israel Heritage, General Studies (Humanities), Applied Physics, Molecular Biology, Biological Chemistry and Mathematics & Computer Science. In the near future, Ariel University Center of Samaria will open additional undergraduate courses in Education, Communication Disabilities and Material Science.
Ariel University Center of Samaria also received accreditation for its first Master’s degree program in the field of Social Work, a major step on its way to becoming Israel’s next university. Other graduate-level programs awaiting approval include Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration and Psychology, with final accreditation expected in the coming 6-12 months.
Scientific Research - The Key to Unlocking Our Future
Ariel University Center of Samaria is the only University Center in Israel to conduct advanced research. With nearly 60% of the Israeli economy's output being technology driven, scientific research provides the key to securing the Jewish state's future and prosperity.
The University Center has provided research and employment opportunities to more than 150 immigrant professionals from the former Soviet Union and other countries. These scientists have worked on dozens of R&D projects, in fields such as robotics, electro-optics, crystal growth and environmental studies.
In 2000, Ariel University Center of Samaria inaugurated the Free Electron Laser (FEL) on its Ariel campus. The FEL serves as a national center for studying and testing radiation and laser use, providing scientists from Israel and overseas the opportunity to research areas, including material processing, advanced imaging, communications and atmospheric studies.
The school's research staff has published more than 400 articles in international journals dealing with science and technology, and has presented a similar number of papers at international conferences and seminars.
Providing New Opportunities
Ariel University Center of Samaria offers several avenues of learning for those deserving of a second chance for a better future, as well as newcomers whose formerly acquired skills are now obsolete.
The University Center's pre-academic ("Mechina") training program allows young men and women to pursue their education by helping them prepare for University Center-level studies. The school's program is specifically tailored for demobilized soldiers and is recommended by and coordinated with the Israeli Defense Ministry.
The University Center's vocational training program is ideal for new immigrants, as well as mature Israelis interested in enhancing their skills and allowing them to compete effectively in the marketplace. Some courses currently being taught include computer programming, clerical services, childcare, building maintenance and basic engineering. The program is fully supported and recommended by the Israeli Labor & Social Welfare and Immigrant Absorption Ministries.
Community Outreach
Situated in central Samaria, the University Center is sensitive to the needs of the City of Ariel and other nearby communities and is aware of the area's vast human potential. As such, the school is committed to making its resources available to the tens of thousands of residents, young and old alike, in the region.
Hands-on programs for Israel's youth are an exciting aspect of outreach activities. A prime example is the highly successful "Science is Fun" program, which is geared towards elementary school children and is designed to illustrate the important role science plays in our everyday lives.
Another course provides gifted children with access to school laboratories, as well as extensive teaching instruction. In addition, schools in Ariel and other communities are encouraged to bring groups of students to the campus in order to make use of the facilities.
Ariel University Center of Samaria also offers continuing education programs for adults, attracting hundreds of people weekly for evening classes. Computer science, electronics, tourism and psychology are just a few of the courses available to these returning students.
Absorbing Immigrant Students and Professionals
The University Center's unique efforts to help with the absorption of immigrant students and professionals from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia have come to serve as a model for educational institutions throughout Israel.
New immigrants are well represented on the Ariel campus, with more than 200 Ethiopian students attending the University Center and a significantly larger number from the former Soviet Union. Some immigrant students are provided with scholarships, tutorial services and social counseling to help them better integrate into academic life.
There are also dozens of immigrant professionals working as lecturers and researchers in various departments at the school, teaching in Hebrew and becoming full members of the faculty.
Meeting Tomorrow's Challenges
Since its establishment, Ariel University Center of Samaria has undergone a remarkable transformation, growing from a small educational center into a leading institution of higher learning.
Israel's dynamic growth and the ever-increasing number of high school graduates seeking higher education continue to place heavy demands on the country's education system. In the years to come, Ariel University Center of Samaria will endeavor to help meet these needs by continuing its fast-paced growth, with the intention of reaching 20,000 students by the year 2020.
To help shape this future direction, Ariel University Center of Samaria is being led by its International Board of Governors (IBG), chaired by Moshe Arens, Israel's former Defense Minister. Comprised of committed friends and supporters from Israel and abroad, the IBG will make every effort to raise the necessary funds to ensure the school's long-term expansion and to achieve the goal of becoming Israel's next university.
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