Start-up NEGEV - A Place for Innovation and Collaboration
（photo by American Associates Ben Gurion University of the Negev）
Government-private sector collaboration could turn Beer-Sheva into a new region of excellence in Israel and position it internationally as well.
Ben-Gurion University (AKA “BGU”) of the Negev was founded in 1969.
This is the only Israeli university created by government mandate, and it has a mission to transcend the boundaries of academia and create a new model of education and research that would have a direct impact on people’s lives.
Today an internationally-recognized leader in innovative technologies and cutting-edge academic investigation, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is a major Israeli center for teaching and research, with campuses in Beer-Sheva, including the Marcus Family Campus, as well as in Eilat and Sede Boqer.
More than 19,000 students are enrolled in the Faculties of Engineering Sciences, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management, and in the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies.
BGU ranks among the top 1.5% of the universities in the world, according to the center for World University Rankings. And 39th among the world’s top technological universities. BGU was declared as one of the Middle East’s most important centers of teaching and research. And in terms of cyber research, it is also leading institutions among the top 100, according to a new system evaluating universities by their publications in this field.
Now, Beer-Sheva is among 7 global cities of the future. A study conducted by Brandeis University and the T3 Advisors consulting firm identified Beer-Sheva as one of seven up-and-coming hubs of technology and life sciences, thanks to BGU and the adjacent Advanced Technologies Park. That's because the Israeli government has announced plans to turn Beer-Sheva into the cyber capital of Israel, including moving the elite information systems units of Israel Defense Force to the region. And The Advanced Technologies Park (ATP)opened for business in 2013, with the goal of ensuring that a critical mass of graduates would be able to find employment in the region. With a 23-acre campus, the ATP maximizes the collaborative relationship between academia and industry.
Within the ATP framework, university researchers, students and alumni are joining some of the world’s foremost entrepreneurial companies in fields such as big data and analytics, data storage, cyber security, telecommunications and nanotechnology.
And BGU has invested in building a supportive infrastructure to welcome young researchers, including a university-affiliated daycare facility together with WIZO and a dedicated program to advance women in academia.
The new ecosystem will benefit from the University’s vast educational resources and a superb research environment, while creating a critical mass of researchers who are committed to defending Israel’s physical and digital borders. Incentive relocation packages help attract the very best scientist and scholars to ensure that BGU remains competitive in Israel and the world.
Reference
Startup NEGEV, BGU 360 by Ben Gurion University offline PR materials
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