• Over the past year, the CHE has approved a new academic degree and model that trained students for the high-tech industry with the objective of significantly increasing the number of students in the humanities who integrate into high-tech tracks.
• The first such track is expected to commence during the upcoming academic year in the framework of the new course of studies at the Tel Aviv University, “Science for High-tech.”
• In the coming years, additional institutions are expected to open similar programs of study.

Chair of the Planning and Budgeting Committee, Prof. Yaffa Zilbershats: “The new degree in high-tech studies will enable humanities and exact science majors in the high-tech industry as well. A professional committee established by the CHE reviewed the needs of industry and established the outline for a degree while ensuring the quality of instruction and learning. This process joins additional steps whose purpose is to significantly increase the number of students in high-tech subjects. The opening of new courses of study alongside financial incentives of tens of millions of shekels a year enable academic institutions to accept many more students and to significantly expand the available manpower in the high-tech industry.”

During the course of the last year, the CHE approved a new degree (60 credit hours) in which students will receive training that is focused on the high-tech industry. The new model is expected to significantly increase the number of students from different fields such as social sciences, humanities, and the exact sciences, who integrate into high-tech tracks, and it will be possible to integrate it into studies from other disciplines (in dual major degrees) or keep it as a separate track that is taken alongside a different degree or after its completion.

• For example: Students will be able to integrate social sciences/humanities with the new training model as a dual major or take it parallel to their studies for a different degree (such as legal studies) or as supplementary studies after a different degree (such as a student who has finished studying law and wishes to add training in high-tech).

In the framework of this new model, a CHE committee carefully reviewed the training required and defined the core knowledge required (in the scope of 60 credit hours) in order to engage in high-tech professions: A mathematical base of 20 credit hours, core subjects in computer science – 25-30 credit hours, and electives in fields relevant to industry – 10-15 credit hours. (See details, below)

It is emphasized that the model was approved while ensuring quality of instruction and learning.

• During the course of the year, the PBC put out a call for proposals on the matter to the universities. The first such track is expected to open at the Tel Aviv University in the upcoming academic year (2019-2020). In the coming years, additional institutions are expected to open similar programs of study.

Academic institutions that accept students into high-tech programs that will be established according to the rules of this new model, including the “Science for High-tech” program at the Tel Aviv University, will receive an increased budget in the sum of at least NIS 64,000. For academic institutions:

Increased incentive for institutions that accept students into the new high-tech studies model – At the decision of the PBC, academic institutions that accept students into high-tech programs that will be established according to the rules of this new model will receive a budget of at least NIS 64,000 per year for each student enrolled in the program.

The current average cost of instruction in high-tech programs is NIS 45,000 per year.

Outline for High-tech Studies

The CHE’s professional committee is composed of academics in high-tech subjects as well as persons in the high-tech industry. The committee reviewed the needs of industry and the academic training offered at universities.  The committee recommended an outline for high-tech studies and a scope of 60 credit hours for students or graduates from other fields enrolled in post-degree programs. The program can be taken alongside another disciplinary degree or after its completion.

Below is a list of courses required in order to offer the program:

• Mathematical Base (20 credit hours):

1. Differential and integral mathematics
2. Linear algebra
3. Logic and set theory
4. Probability and statistics

• Core Courses (25-30 credit hours):

1. Introduction to computer science
2. Algorithms
3. Data structure
4. Object oriented programming
5. Programming lab
6. (Intro to) software engineering
7. Data science

• Extensions (10-15 credit hours) – 3-5 Courses From Subjects Such as the Following:

1. Databases
2. Data mining
3. Information systems
4. Functional programming
5. Communication networks
6. Operating systems
7. User interfaces
8. Cryptography and data security
9. Artificial intelligence
10. Testing oriented programming
11. Advanced lab/final project