Despite the growth in the young population, the higher education system continues to grow at a moderate pace
Data published this morning by the Council for Higher Education (CHE) shows that the number of students will increase this year by only 2.1%, a slowdown from 2.8% last year. About 350,900 students are expected to study at 57 institutions. The decline trend at universities continues, with a 9.7% increase in non-subsidized colleges compared to 1% at universities. Most growth is in bachelor's degrees, mainly in education, law, social sciences, and humanities. There is a decline in enrollment in computer science, mathematics, and statistics. For the first time, six bachelor's programs in artificial intelligence and data science have opened, with about 800 students. High demand for medicine, dentistry, health, architecture, and engineering.
Data published this morning (Sunday) by the Council for Higher Education (CHE) ahead of the start of the academic year shows that Israel's higher education system continues to grow at a moderate pace, despite the growth in the young population. The number of students is expected to increase this year by only 2.1%, a slowdown from 2.8% growth last year. In total, about 350,900 students are expected to study in the 2025-2026 academic year at 57 higher education institutions. The trend of recent years continues: fewer students choose to study at universities, while most growth is recorded at non-subsidized colleges, which saw a 9.7% increase in enrollment, compared to only 1% growth at universities. The main increase in the number of students came from a rise in bachelor's degree enrollment, especially in education, law, social sciences, and humanities. In contrast, there was a decline in enrollment in computer science, mathematics, and statistics, while engineering studies remained almost unchanged. Amid the acceleration of AI developments, six bachelor's programs in artificial intelligence and data science have opened this year for the first time, with about 800 students expected to enroll. The data indicate particularly high demand for medicine and dentistry, health professions, architecture, and engineering. Alongside a decline in the number of applicants for computer science, there was an increase in other engineering fields, including electrical and electronics engineering, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering. Social sciences remain the largest field of study in bachelor's degrees, with 37,711 students (17.4%), followed by engineering with 37,596 students (17.3%). The Vice Chairman of the CHE, Prof. Dudi Schwartz, said the council has adopted a proactive approach, granting autonomy to institutions and removing barriers. He noted a professional-applied doctoral track, accreditation for colleges to grant the rank of professor, and the 'First Academic Semester' program in high schools.