Australia-Israel strengthen student ties

NEW partnerships between Australian universities and the Technion in Haifa will allow Australian students to complete part of their studies in Israel.

The University of Sydney, University of New South Wales and University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have all entered into agreements with Israel’s top high-tech institution. In addition, the Technion Society of Australia (TSA) is providing scholarships to eligible students.

TSA president Dr Ruth Ratner said the agreements would “connect the Technion to Australian society”.

“Results from our University of Sydney Medical School exchange with the Technion have been very exciting, giving students from each university the opportunity to experience medicine and patients in different environments,” she said.

“Our support of the students with scholarships makes all the difference to their ability to participate in these invaluable exchanges.”

UTS Professor Michael Wallach, a champion of the program, said it was a good option for Jewish students finishing high school who wanted to spend a year in Israel.

“It’s a very good way to spend one’s time in Israel, get to know Israel this way,” he said, but stressed that the program was not just limited to Jewish students.

Under the initial UTS agreement, three students will be sent each year, with three Israelis coming to UTS in exchange. Prof Wallach, who also teaches at the Technion during the summer break, said he expected the program to grow as the Technion introduced more subjects in English.

“I would hope and expect that over the next year or two we’ll have it fully operating,” he said.

Prof Wallach said the intention is to expand the program to include more Australian and Israeli universities.

To this end, he is working with the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce to establish a website where universities will be able to “interface better.

GARETH NARUNSKY