Israel boasts of being one of the countries with the most educated students in the world.Throughout the years, the country is known to encourage its citizens to place a high value on finishing their higher education. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an organization that aims to improve the global economy and promote world trade, created a ranking that looked at the level of adult education in countries.
The adult education ranking focused on the highest education completed by the citizens that ranged from 25 to 64 years old. Israel is third in this ranking, showing the knowledge level of its population3. This high ranking is mainly because of the local citizens who took advantage of the large investment that the country has given in its educational system. However, Israel was known to struggle when it came to attracting international students.
In 2019, Israel only had fewer than 12,000 international students. However, due to improvements in its educational system, the country has seen a rapid rise in the number of foreign students opting to continue their education in Israel as the number of students reached more than 22,000 in 2020—an impressive feat worth nothing.Improving the Education System with Language
The Council for Higher Education (CHE) in Israel has started to give more focus on the low number of foreign students coming into Israel to finish their undergraduate and master’s degree courses. A reform has been made that encourages the use of the English language in most subject instructions, as stipulated in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Notably, the registration forms and programmes promoted to international students now use the English language, making it more attractive and relatable for more foreign students to consider applying in the universities within Israel.
Developing Top Entrepreneurs
Earning the moniker “Startup Nation” shows how Israel’s commitment to innovation and business has helped shape the mindset of their graduates. For most locals, the mandatory military service and training they have to undergo has helped them develop their skills, not only in their personal skills, but also in changing their mindset towards innovation and entrepreneurship.
In contrast to many developing nations, Israel placed great emphasis on thinking outside the box. At a very young age, students are taught to go beyond the conventional approach. The same strategy has been applied to the country’s education system. That’s why it is no longer surprising that many individuals have flocked to the country to start their business.
When this type of mindset has been introduced to the business courses in Israel, the students learn to look at new and multiple perspectives when tackling an issue. Being flexible at all times is very important in entrepreneurship. With Israel producing so many of these entrepreneurs, who open up businesses then sell them to bigger companies for large profits, this makes the country a hotbed for innovation, producing more than 3,000 startups.
Preferred Travel Destinations
It is a fact that the constant challenge of tests and absorption of new lessons on a regular basis can eventually leave a student tired and burnt out. Thankfully, Israel offers some of the world’s best destinations that travelers all around the world wish to visit even just once in their lives. Take Jerusalem as an example. With its numerous religious and cultural attractions, students can visit sites like the Tower of David, the Via Dolorosa, and the Mount of Olives. Of course, one can never forget the chance to float in the famous Dead Sea as it is accessible by going through either Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
Impressive COVID-19 Response
The global pandemic has greatly affected the education of all the students in the world. However, Israel has made it a point to take precautions so that even a pandemic cannot hinder the education of any of the students that opt to continue their studies in Israel. Israel is one of the first countries to roll out COVID-19 vaccination within its population. The vaccinations were not only given to its citizens but they have also been given to the international students currently staying in the country. What makes it easier within Israel is that they made the vaccines easily accessible in the campuses and the costs are covered by health insurance.
Though Israel can be considered small compared to a world giant like the US, it still has been able to produce huge results when it comes to the education industry. It has produced six world rankers in the top 1,000 World University Rankings of 2021 reported by the Times Higher Education. The Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Technion Israel Institute of Technology breached the top 500 of the rankings, showing everyone that Israel has been able to produce excellent quality education throughout the years.
With the ongoing reform placing the English language as its selling point, one can expect a rapid increase in the number of foreign students opting to continue their higher education in Israel. Being able to produce numerous successful start-up businesses can entice any student as this proves that whatever is learned in the universities within Israel definitely works outside the school life.
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