“ADVANCE will transform how nurses are trained and integrated into practice, in ways that maximize their potential and bring the utmost value to patients and communities” says Prof. Efrat Shadmi, a visionary nurse and health policy researcher, the incoming head of our Cheryl Spencer Nursing Department and founder and head of ADVANCE.

Together with the Nursing Division at the Ministry of Health, ADVANCE aims to claim new frontiers in Advanced Practice Nursing nationally, and worldwide.

“We’re not here to make incremental changes,” says Prof. Israel Issi Doron, Dean of the Faculty. “We’re here to redefine the possibilities of care.”

This vision builds upon the Faculty’s nationwide recognition for excellence in nursing education and research, and for its groundbreaking programs in public health, health sciences and social welfare.  

Under Prof. Doron’s leadership, the Faculty has expanded its multidisciplinary training and research – especially in response to recent national emergencies, when experts in trauma, mental health, and rehabilitation sciences mobilized to support northern communities.

ADVANCE marks a complete shift in approach to nursing education. The comprehensive new center includes a state-of-the-art simulation facility, a dedicated research unit, and an innovation hub. Trainees will use immersive VR and simulations across diverse clinical environments – from  acute care and trauma rooms to home care settings. The goal: to prepare the next generation of advanced practice nurses (APNs) with technical excellence and human-centered competencies, to maximize their ability to close care gaps and contribute measurable value to the healthcare system.

The center is part of a broader campaign to strengthen Israel’s health care infrastructure – particularly in its under-resourced northern region. With only 3.5 nurses per 1,000 people in the north (compared to the OECD average of over 9 and Israel’s average of about 5), the shortage is both urgent and systemic.

ADVANCE aims to tackle this head-on, offering specialized training tracks – including one for nurse practitioners focused on early detection of mental health conditions. These programs will not only meet growing population needs, but also help close equity gaps across the region.

Looking ahead, plans include collaboration with the University’s new School of Medicine and the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences’ schools of public health, social work, medical imaging, creative arts therapies, physiotherapy, speech-therapy, gerontology and occupational therapy – setting new standards for training and practice across Israel. Joint simulation sessions between nursing, medical and allied health students are expected to cultivate effective communication and teamwork – and ultimately – better patient outcomes.

From healing to prevention, and from simulation to real world care, ADVANCE is creating a paradigm shift in nursing and patient care in Israel.