IDC Herzliya to Become a Private University

After twenty-four years of working toward a vision, the leadership of IDC Herzliya, with Prof. Uriel Reichman at the helm as its President and Founder, received the news that Israel's Council for Higher Education had unanimously voted to allow IDC Herzliya to apply for the right to bestow doctoral degrees. The first degree will be given in law.  

Year after year, IDC Herzliya is ranked number one in student satisfaction in nation-wide surveys of 10,000 students at 60 Israeli universities and colleges. In addition to the pleasant American-style college atmosphere and all the great social and extra-curricular options available to IDC students, the students are enthusiastic about the academic offerings.

Now, under the direction of Minister of Education, Naftali Bennett, Israel's Council for Higher Education recently unanimously voted to allow IDC Herzliya to apply for the right to bestow doctoral degrees. This is a historic step as it essentially sets IDC Herzliya on the path to becoming Israel's very first private university. In telephonically imparting the news to IDC President and Founder, Prof. Uriel Reichman, Bennett said, "You make a point of being the best in everything you do - the best in professionalism, in ethical standards, in strengthening the State of Israel and in granting scholarships to anyone who needs. Uriel, you have really built an institution which is a source of pride for the State of Israel".

Within a complete body of over 7,000 on campus, the student community includes over 2,000 international students studying fully in English at IDC's Raphael Recanati International School (RRIS). This accounts for a quarter of the overall student body. "RRIS is very proud of its diverse student body – which hails from over 80 countries – and all of its students invariably mention the opportunity of making friends from so many different cultures as one of the major advantages of studying at IDC," says Jonathan Davis, VP for External Relations and Head of the RRIS.

Despite the high level of student satisfaction and its excellent academic reputation, IDC has never rested on its laurels and constantly looks to add new programs to its list of degree options, as well as to upgrade its campus facilities. The new PhD degree will certainly take IDC Herzliya to a new level while other new programs will also give incoming students a unique edge in the future job market. 

​Entrepreneurship double-major programs

IDC Herzliya is considered one of the world's leading academic institutions for entrepreneurial education and is now opening a unique double major undergraduate program, the first of its kind in Israel. It will be offered in the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship, an innovative center in the Israeli academic landscape that strives to promote both research and practice in the field of entrepreneurship in Israel.

The Undergraduate Program in Entrepreneurship allows the option of choosing a double major with either Computer Science or Business. Courses include: venture creation, innovative technology, strategic thinking, hands-on training in building innovative technological prototypes, and more. Projects are mentored by leading figures from the industry with an emphasis on excellence in research, education, social responsibility and teamwork. Preeminent researchers and experts from Israel and the world will be lecturing.

The double major program in Entrepreneurship and Computer Science (B.Sc.) will prepare students to successfully address the analytical and technical challenges they will face in their future work, and all the aspects of starting up new innovative businesses or projects. The program incorporates in-depth theoretical study, current practices and practical experience in developing an initiative. Alongside the familiar and established content of the computer science program, students will experience the stages of the entrepreneurial process as expressed both in practice and research, preparing its graduates for a career in technology and software development and business entrepreneurship. For those who wish to pursue an academic career, the program provides them with a strong foundation for advanced graduate and doctoral degrees.

Preeminent lecturers and researchers from the fields of technological innovation, business and social entrepreneurship will teach in the program, alongside experts from the industry, entrepreneurs and investors. The program will provide students with practical tools and skills for building prototypes of innovative technological products, as well as for designing a business plan with the guidance of leading mentors from the Israeli startup community, entrepreneurs and investors. Alumni of the Efi Arazi School of Computer Science go on to work in global companies and to study in graduate programs in universities in Israel and abroad. Students will be offered exchange programs with universities around the world.

The double major program in Entrepreneurship and Business (BA) is intended for students who are interested in establishing new innovative start-ups or new initiatives in organizations. The curriculum will provide students with practical tools and skills for building prototypes of innovative technological products, as well as for designing a business plan with the guidance of leading mentors from the Israeli start-up community, entrepreneurs and investors. The program's rationale is based on the stages of the entrepreneurial process as expressed both in practice and in research: from identifying opportunities and raising innovative ideas until its development to the point of an operational and profitable business or to the point of exit.

The program follows the unprecedented success of other entrepreneurship programs at IDC, among them the Zell Entrepreneurship Program, the Media Innovation Lab (miLAB) and the IDC Entrepreneurship Club (IEC). Leading lecturers and researchers in the fields of technological innovation, business and social entrepreneurship will teach in the program, alongside experts from the industry, entrepreneurs and investors. Studies will take place several days a week, two semesters a year, for a total of six semesters. "It is exciting that IDC Herzliya has proceeded to open new tracks in English for undergraduate degrees in Entrepreneurship," says Jonathan Davis.

MBA in Healthcare Innovation

In a bid to provide future healthcare industry managers with the tools to address the challenges and complexities of modern healthcare, an exciting new MBA program in English is being launched by IDC Herzliya's Arison School of Business in partnership with the Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. The unique one-year MBA in Healthcare Innovation is designed for professionals from Israel and abroad who are interested in healthcare management, innovation and entrepreneurship. It will be launched in the 2018-2019 academic year.

The program aims to prepare future healthcare industry leaders to develop solutions and address significant changes in the technological, scientific, pharmaceutical, digital and policy arenas. It will also address the growing global need for emergency and disaster management. "The program brings together all the unique advantages of Israeli innovation to provide the tools and skills necessary to understand the complexity of the healthcare world today, with an emphasis on exposing the students to innovative thinking and entrepreneurship," explains program head Prof. Varda Liberman. Students in the program will study three core areas: business administration, healthcare management, and innovation and entrepreneurship.

New student dorms

Starting from the upcoming academic year, IDC Herzliya students will be able to live in state-of-the-art dorms conveniently located right on campus. Indeed, students will have the option of enjoying a high standard of living in 500 new, fully equipped residential units located in two 13-story towers on IDC Herzliya's campus. The apartments are fully furnished to accommodate all of the residents' needs. Each unit has air conditioning and a private bathroom with shower. The kitchens and bedrooms are fully equipped. In addition, laundry rooms with washing machines and dryers are at the residents' disposal. A skilled and experienced professional staff will maintain the dormitories and be available to the students on a daily basis. There will also be 24/7 security.

The dormitory towers were planned and designed to meet green building standards, along with all of the students' needs. Every floor has study areas to enable students to focus on their studies and to maintain a varied social life. The dorms are being built thanks to donations from the Cramer and Recanati families, for whom each of the first two buildings will be named.

Full degrees in English

IDC Herzliya's Raphael Recanati International School (RRIS) is the only institution in Israel that offers a wide variety of excellent full-degree programs taught entirely in English. BA degrees include Psychology, Business (with majors in Finance, Marketing or Entrepreneurship), Business and Economics (double major), Communications (majors in Marketing and Political Communications, Visual Content or Interactive Communications), Government (majors in International Affairs, Conflict Resolution, Middle East Studies, Counter Terrorism or Business Administration) Government and Sustainability (double major). Computer Science and the two new double majors Entrepreneurship and Business and Entrepreneurship and Computer Science.

In addition to the new MBA program in Healthcare Innovation and the standard one-year MBA program, RRIS also offers Masters programs taught in English in Government, Financial Economics, and Organizational Behavior and Development. Moreover, the Arison School of Business and the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship offer a selective one-year Global MBA program taught in English with two different tracks: Business Strategy and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

For more information about IDC Herzliya, visit www.rris.idc.ac.il or contact me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.