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Photo: Zvika Tishler
Students are not reading, and cheating on tests and homework is commonplace
Photo: Zvika Tishler

Academia in crisis

Domestic universities have slipped into mediocrity

About 245,000 local students, a third of them new to the system, embarked on their university studies this year. Most of them are unaware that in global standards, the Israeli academic establishment has long ago slipped into mediocrity.

 

Indeed, the fact two Israeli scientists won a Nobel Prize in chemistry this year should not mislead us.

 

Our academic mediocrity is manifested in different ways: since Martin Buber, for example, who passed away in 1965, Israel has failed to produce a world-renowned philosopher.

 

Universities have not produced great historian

 

With the passing away of Yeshayahu Leibowitz 10 years ago, Israel lost its last great philosopher, who was conspicuous in his solitude (Both of them, by the way, were not products of Israeli academia.).

 

Moreover, domestic universities have not produced a great historian who would break new ground in understanding historical processes. They also cannot boast a sociologist who has developed a comprehensive theory for understanding society's structure.

 

The country's academics have also failed to produce a psychologist who opened a window to understanding the human soul, or political scientists who have changed the way we view the political sphere.

 

Finally, there is no local social-political philosopher whose voice is heard here and abroad, or a great economist who has paved new ways.

 

No university among Top 100

 

The findings of Thomson ISI, an American company specializing in determining the scientific quality of research institutions across the world, are not promising to say the least.

 

When it comes to the social sciences, no Israeli university is among the top 100 global institutions, while in terms of clinical medical research achievements, Israel falls below Kenya.

 

When it comes to the natural sciences, including agriculture, Israel enjoys a respectable global status, but even here the decline is apparent.

 

What is the reason for the deterioration? After all, the potential of Israeli academicians is not inferior to that of their colleagues worldwide, is it?

 

Israel not a welfare state

 

In this context, I shall address two major factors: the failure to make the country a benevolent welfare state, and the training and promotion policy of scientists.

 

The country was never built as a genuine welfare state, and the situation has been deteriorating since the 1980s. This reality manifests itself through overcrowded classes, surging violence, and scholastic levels doomed for mediocrity.

 

The Israeli student does not get his or her full share of culture and education, and does not develop a sense of love for learning.

 

The situation is no better at higher education institutions. Indeed, the Israeli student cannot wholly dedicate himself to his studies, close the gaps, and develop into an educated person.

 

Students read little; cheating is common

 

The need to pay high tuition fees and ensure a reasonable material existence leads most students to seek work while they study. This reality has led to the emergence of a scandalous school culture, according to Harvard University's Joseph Weiler, who examined law faculties here.

 

The student reads little and does not build a proper library during his studies. Meanwhile, the culture of using substandard translations and summaries flourishes, while cheating on tests and homework has become commonplace.

 

Sadly, Israeli lecturers hail from this scholastic culture.

 

The universities, for their part, worsen the situation by the manner in which they train their lecturers. Indeed, most of those who turn to academic careers are not required to acquire extensive education outside their field.

 

Hence, the average Israeli scientist has not acquired knowledge in the philosophy of science, and has never seriously struggled with the question of the human conscience's nature and limits.

 

Multidisciplinary inquiry is a precondition for genuine scientific achievement. A political scientist who does not possess extensive familiarity with economics, sociology and history is a limited political scientist.

 

Indeed, the saying, "He who knows his field only, does not even know his field," is valid in Israel as well.

 

The method of promoting Israeli lecturers, meanwhile, is also scandalous. A professor who published 10 articles of dubious quality will be promoted, while his colleague, who published an innovative article or two, will not be as lucky.

 

As a result, many researchers choose research subjects that do not require long term, in-depth scientific work. Budget cuts that have undermined the research infrastructure have also contributed to this problem, and today we see many lecturers cooperate in writing superficial articles.

 

In order to rehabilitate Israeli science, Israel must first be reconstructed as an enlightened welfare state. In addition, the academic world must be granted a courageous academic leadership that initiates a revolution in setting scientific work priorities.

 

Young and veteran scientists, who attach great importance to genuinely fulfilling their scientific potential and to science itself, can and should play a crucial role here, while the Higher Education Council must also assume leadership.

 

Dr. Uri Zilbersheid, a political philosophy lecturer at Jezreel Valley College and at Haifa University's National Security Studies Center, is among the founders of the 'Society Now' movement

פרסום ראשון: 01.02.05, 10:27
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