As Israel faces unprecedented security and economic challenges in the wake of October 7, the critical role of engineers in our economy and overall national resilience has become even more apparent.
From defense technologies to economic growth, engineers are the driving force behind Israel’s technological capabilities and its status as the Start-Up Nation.
At Afeka, we witnessed this firsthand when 44% of our students were called to active military duty during the war. We responded with comprehensive support systems, including hybrid learning models, condensed courses for reservists, and extensive academic assistance through advising, mentoring, and tutoring.
This approach proved highly effective – we achieved our largest graduating class to date in 2023-2024, despite the challenges.
Who will develop the next Iron Dome?
The question that drives us remains constant: Who will develop the next Iron Dome? The answer lies in educating the next generation of Israeli engineers.
This challenge exemplifies why Afeka has pioneered a distinctive approach to engineering education over the past several years. Recognizing that today’s engineers need strengths beyond technical aptitude, we developed and implemented a competency-based educational model that integrates professional knowledge with vital personal skills.
Our curriculum combines theoretical coursework with extensive hands-on experience and innovative pedagogy. It emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration, critical thinking, and effective communication – skills that are crucial for success in Israel’s hi-tech industry, the backbone of our national economy and security.
This model, developed through ongoing dialogue with industry partners, has proven highly effective in preparing workforce-ready graduates who can contribute to Israel’s technological advancement and leadership.
Now, as the nation shifts from short-term crisis response to long-term strategic planning, Afeka is positioned to play a crucial role. We will begin construction of our new campus in the Yad Eliyahu neighborhood in the coming months, addressing both immediate national needs and long-term strategic objectives of the college, the city of Tel Aviv, and the nation.
The data supporting this initiative is compelling: Israel’s hi-tech sector faces a shortage of approximately 13,000 engineers and software developers, while the industry contributes nearly 20% of Israel’s GDP and accounts for over half of the country’s exports.
The choice of location is significant. Yad Eliyahu, with a socioeconomic ranking of three out of 10, is among the most underserved Jewish communities in Tel Aviv. Only 39% of residents in south Tel Aviv hold academic degrees, compared to 68% in the northern part of the city.
This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for meaningful impact.
The 25,000-square-meter first phase of the new campus has been designed as a comprehensive educational hub that will amplify this successful model.
Beyond providing advanced facilities for our faculty, staff, and students, the campus will create an integrated ecosystem connecting pre-K -12 STEM education, academic engineering and science programs, and local industry partnerships.
The campus design reflects this holistic approach, featuring spaces for educational outreach programs, advanced teaching laboratories, flexible learning environments, and industry collaboration zones – all configured to support our distinctive pedagogical model that encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and bridges theoretical knowledge with real-world application by supporting both practical and personal skill development.
This initiative builds on Afeka’s established track record. Over the past five years, we have increased our student body by 50% while maintaining high academic standards and strong industry placement rates.
The new campus will enable us to grow by an additional 50%, allowing us to graduate over 1,000 new engineers annually. These graduates will strengthen both Israel’s economic resilience and its defense capabilities.
Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2025, with completion planned for late 2026. The project represents a collaborative effort supported by the Tel Aviv Municipality, the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Israeli Council for Higher Education, and private sector donors.
This new campus represents a comprehensive approach to expanding Israel’s engineering education capacity while contributing to urban development.
Through this initiative, we aim to strengthen both Israel’s technological capabilities and its educational infrastructure in a way that serves academic, local, and national interests, collectively enhancing our national resilience.
The writer is a former hi-tech CEO and current president of Afeka – The Academic College of Engineering in Tel Aviv.