University of Haifa
אוניברסיטת חיפה | |
| University of Haifa logo | |
| Motto | מצויינות אקדמית מתחילה ביחס אישי (Academic Excellence with a Personal Touch) |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1963 |
| Chancellor | Eliezer Rafaeli |
| President | Aaron Ben Ze'ev |
| Rector | Yossi Ben-Artzi |
| Location | , |
| Campus | Urban, Parks |
| Website | www.haifa.ac.il/ |
The University of Haifa (Hebrew: אוניברסיטת חיפה) is a university in Haifa, Israel.
About 16,500 undergraduate and graduate students study in the university a wide variety of topics, specializing in social sciences, humanities, law and education. The University is broadly divided into six Faculties: Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, Science and Science Education, Social Welfare and Health Studies, and Education. There is also the Graduate School of Business.
Beyond the objective of a first-rate higher education, the University of Haifa aims to provide equal educational opportunities to all sectors of the society, and in particular to encourage mutual understanding and cooperation between the Jewish and Arab populations on and off campus. The 2005 appointment of Prof. Majid Al-Haj of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, to the position of Dean of Research, one of the most important positions in the university, is an example of this commitment.
The University of Haifa is home to the Hecht Museum of archeology and art, several research centers and institutes, including the Evolution Institute, Center for the Study of the Information Society, Center for the Study of National Security, Tourism Research Center, and more. The University also hosts a large IBM research center on its campus.
History
The University of Haifa was founded in 1963 by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi, to operate under the academic auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
In its first year 472 students attended the University. Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences were offered in the following departments: Biblical Studies, Hebrew Literature and Language, Jewish History, General History, French Literature and Language, English Literature and Language, Arabic Literature and Language, Geography, Sociology, and Political Science. The academic staff included 180 instructors, 50 of them Haifa residents.
In 1967, the University of Haifa awarded a diploma to its first graduates, 75 in number, three-quarters of whom intended to be teachers.
The first home of the University of Haifa was in Erdstein House in the Hadar HaCarmel section of Haifa, but it soon became too crowded. The University moved to Merkaz HaCarmel, and was housed in the building that now serves the Municipal High School No. 5. In 1966, the University moved to the top of Mount Carmel, the present location of its main campus.
The University's first building, the "Multi-Purpose Building", was constructed in 1966. It contained classrooms, halls, laboratories, a library with 110,000 books, and a cafeteria. Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer planned the campus to include all the University's facilities in one complex.
The University of Haifa has been ranked 10th among 36 academic institutes in Israel, according to Above Average ranking institute[citation needed]. This was a 6-point rise over the 2006 ranking. The ranking was based on feedback from 8,600 students.
Notable alumni
- Benjamin Gantz, Commander of the GOC Army Headquarters
- Yochanan Vollach, footballer, president of Maccabi Haifa, CEO
- Ronit Matalon, author
- Meir Dagan, director of the Mossad
Notable academics
See also
- List of universities in Israel
- Global U8 Consortium GU8
External links
- The University of Haifa homepage (English)
- The University of Haifa, Faculty of Law
- The University of Haifa, Graduate School of Business
- The University of Haifa, School of Political Sciences
- The International School at the University of Haifa
- The University of Haifa, University Forum on Research Methods
- Hecht Museum