Higher education budget set at NIS 6.9 billion

The higher education budget for the current academic year has been set at NIS 6.9 billion ($1.85 billion), an increase of NIS 237 million ($64 million) compared to last year. These figures reflect agreements reached between the Finance Ministry and the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education.

The increase is the result of funding for wage agreements with both junior and senior staff, and an increase in student numbers. The committee sees this budget as a transition year budget: during the year, a five-year program for higher education will be prepared, in coordination with the Finance Ministry.

The program, to be in place by the next academic year (October 2010), will include a budgetary model for encouraging excellence as well as addressing the issue of university pensions.

Committee head, Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg, said "This year's budget is a transition budget from the point of view of the higher education system, which is currently putting together a long-term program. The program must enhance research excellence and quality of instruction."

The Finance Ministry's Budget Director Udi Nissan added, "I think it is very important to enhance the higher education system and its contribution to the economy and society. I am certain that cooperation and dialogue between the various groups will enable us to cope with the challenges facing higher education, including fundamental changes to the budgetary model and giving preference to excellence, exploiting the relative advantages of each institution."