Shabbat Shalom - Delivering on Our Strategy
Dear Friends,
As we shut down for Shabbat, and the end of the summer vacation, I’m thrilled to share with you some extremely positive news from BGU that reflects our strategic vision.
We’ve just received our updated budget from the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education. As some of you may recall, the university’s core budget is primarily a function of two elements: student enrollment and research output.
On the student side, the numbers are optimistic. Last year, we had the highest student enrollment since 2010 (excluding the anomalous COVID year), and this year, we are already seeing over 10% more first-year students registered. At a time when many of our counterparts across the country are facing a decline in student numbers, this growth is especially heartening. It speaks volumes about the confidence young people and their families place in BGU, and about our ability to deliver, even in times of uncertainty.
But it’s our research performance that truly shows how far we’ve come. Back in 2019, we set a clear goal: to increase our share of the national research budget so that it matched our relative size in the higher education system. At the time, BGU was receiving less than 12.5% of the national research allocation, even though we made up roughly 14% of the system. Many told me that improving that number by even a fraction of a percent would be a massive uphill battle.
And yet, last year, we reached the 14% mark. This year, we’ve gone even further: our share has risen to 14.37% of the national research allocation. That means that over the past few years, BGU’s research output has grown faster than any other university in Israel. Most of our peer institutions have remained flat, or declined, in their relative allocations. Within the complex model that drives this funding, we were also ranked #1 in the country for industry collaborations, a direct reflection of our long-term strategy of building a thriving innovation ecosystem in the Negev.
This didn’t happen by chance. It is the result of careful investment, sustained effort, and community-wide commitment. The funds we’ve raised together have allowed us to recruit a cadre of outstanding young researchers, provide them with world-class facilities, and begin the shift toward a more supportive and agile administrative culture, one where research takes priority.
Of course, all of this comes with the ongoing backdrop of war and the impending budget cuts to higher education. But I am confident that our unprecedented growth in both research and student numbers positions us to weather those challenges while continuing to pursue our ambitious goals.
To you who have been part of this journey - thank you! Together, we’re not just responding to crises. We’re building the future.
As we remember the hostages, Shabbat shalom,
Danny Chamovitz
