The Ministry of Higher Education has recently made an important decision designating our university as the University of Haifa and the Galilee. The decision concludes a long governmental process exploring whether the Galilee region should have its own separate University. Since the beginning of his tenure as President, Prof. Robin has advocated that the University of Haifa was best positioned to serve this role and argued that establishing a separate entity would strain the limited resources available for higher education in Israel. “Back in 2016, I initiated the negotiations with BRAUDE College and WIZO Academy,” noted Prof. Robin, “and while they did not lead to the desired merger, these talks planted the seeds that have led the government to seek the expansion of our presence in the North. This decision presents us with a unique opportunity to develop an all-encompassing strategy and expand our horizons towards a new and exciting future, with a clear national and scientific mission.” Current political events in Israel may affect the pace of implementation, but, together, we remain determined to fulfil this vision.

*Credit: Itai Bodel