Every five to six years, the Higher Education Council and PBC discuss the perennial program which defines, amongst other things, the main yearly goals of the higher education system. In this framework, the rate of increase in student numbers of the budgeted system, is determined.

Accordingly, planning of academic development of the higher education institutions can be carried out, with lateral vision, to ensure optimization of institutions and coordination between them, whilst safeguarding the realization of the needs of society and state, as set forth in the program.

The Policy Planning Division consolidates the professional work and prepares an assessment of principles (from a planning standpoint) of the academic outline of each of the institutions. For this purpose, an ascending process takes place, of acceptance of the vision and strategy of each institution, relating to the direction of its development, and environmental constraints (such as the size of the institution, fields of study, special populations, and other goals) and accordingly, the curriculum that the institute is interested in opening throughout the years of the program. In an internal process, including the Chairman and CEO of the Planning and Budgeting Committee (PBC), and professional employees from the various branches of the Higher Education Council, the programs are examined in relation to the developmental direction of each institution and their degree of applicability.