president’s report - jerusalem college of engineering...president’s report april 2019...

הנדסת תעשייהB.Sc. וניהול

הנדסת תוכנהB.Sc. M.Sc.

הנדסת חשמלB.Sc. ואלקטרוניקה

יזמות טכנולוגית M.A.

President’s ReportApril 2019

הנדסת מכונותB.Sc.

הנדסת חומרים B.Sc. מתקדמים

הנדסה פרמצבטית B.Sc.

From the President

Innovation and CreativityOpenness and Flexibility

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Dear Friends,

On behalf of the college’s students, faculty, staff, and management, I thank Mr. Amir Elstein for his many years of service as Chairman of the Board of Governors, and for his continued contribution to the development of the college.

We welcome new Chairman Prof. Yitzhak Apeloig, President Emeritus of the Technion, appointed at the 2018 meeting of the Board of Governors. We thank Prof. Apeloig for devoting his time and efforts to advance the college’s goals.

This year, we are celebrating Azrieli College’s 20th anniversary. The founders’ vision of establishing a center of engineering knowledge in Jerusalem with an impact on the economics and population of the city continues to guide our endeavors.

Azrieli College of Engineering plays an important role in the development of the high-tech industry in Jerusalem, and most of our 3,300 graduates work in the city. By granting access to higher education to all sectors of Jerusalem’s population, we are helping to advance the social mobility of the city’s young people and effecting overall change in the economy of Jerusalem.

This year, our President’s Report puts an emphasis on the college’s core values, with a special highlight on innovation and entrepreneurship. During the college’s strategic planning process, our faculty and administrative staff identified the core values of the college as: innovation and creativity, openness

and flexibility, commitment, mutual respect, integrity, professionalism, excellence, personal attention, and accessibility. This set of values is expressed in our daily activities and serves as the moral basis of our strategic plan.

The AtoBe accelerator and the new Master’s Program in Technological Entrepreneurship contribute to our reputation as a center of innovation and entrepreneurship. In partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, we won first prize in the Council for Higher Education’s call for proposals to establish the JLM-Impact Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Jerusalem. These initiatives are important to the economic development of the city but are also in line with our goal to update the methods of teaching engineering in an era of rapidly changing technology and exposure to vast quantities of data. Entrepreneurship activities are instrumental in cultivating skills, such as self-confidence, creativity, thinking outside of the box, dealing with real world challenges and changing demands, presentation skills, improvement of English language skills, multidisciplinary environments, teamwork, and more. All of these are crucial to the success of engineers in the 21st century.

The college’s Authority for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship continues to support our faculty’s research activities. In this report, we detail selected projects pursued at the college or in collaboration with other institutions.

This year, the college has embarked on expanding international activities. With support from the Council for Higher Education, we are building the infrastructure for an international office, upgrading our English website, and adjusting our curricula to accommodate foreign students. We recently collaborated with the University of San Diego’s Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering for a joint course in the field of water management. A group of students from San Diego visited the college and water facilities in Israel. This exchange was made possible, thanks to support by the Murray Galinson San Diego - Israel Initiative, in cooperation with the Leichtag Foundation.

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College ManagementProf. Rosa Azhari – President

Prof. Tamar Raz-Nahum – Rector

Dr. Rafi Aviram – Vice President & Director General

It has been a hectic and challenging year. We started the 2018-2019 academic year under the unfortunate shadow of a national senior faculty strike. The almost five-week strike, at eight colleges, was aimed at achieving better conditions for faculty in the 2017 collective agreement between the faculty and the colleges. The college’s management and the faculty representatives are still negotiating the conditions of an updated collective agreement, which requires approval by the Ministry of Finance and the Council for Higher Education.

This year we lost two members of our Board of Governors, Zvi Gabai and Yaron Zakhyem, true friends of the college. Yaron was also a member of the Executive Committee since 2011. Their vision and contributions will continue to influence our future.

With both challenges and achievements over the last year, we continue to look forward. Construction

on our Housing Tower is proceeding according to plan. The building is scheduled to open in October 2020, expanding our ability to recruit students from throughout the country. Additional projects include the renovation and establishment of new laboratories and new faculty offices in the Alexander Grass Building for Engineering Labs.

As always, the support of our friends is crucial for achieving our goals. We thank the members of the Board of Governors, the Executive Committee, the Academic Council, Friends of Azrieli College Association, and various permanent and ad hoc committees for their time and devotion to the college.

Thank you for being our longtime supporters, and we welcome you to the annual meeting of the Board of Governors.

Prof. Rosa Azhari

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Executive CommitteeMr. Yaron Ravid – ChairmanProf. Rosa AzhariProf. Rachel Ben Eliyahu ZohariMs. Daphna DeaneMr. Eyal HaimovskyMr. Mahmoud Khweis Prof. Shmuel PelegMs. Dafna PelliProf. Tamar Raz-NahumMr. Michael StahlDr. Yonatan Wexler

Heads of Academic DepartmentsDr. Eran Gur - Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering Dr. Yehuda Hassin - Department of Software Engineering Prof. Eitan Manor - Department of Advanced Materials Engineering Dr. Gabi Pinto - Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Prof. Debbie Shalev - Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering Dr. Moshe Zilberman - Department of Mechanical Engineering

Heads of Master's Degree ProgramsProf. Alon Dumanis – M.A. Technological Entrepreneurship Prof. Iakov Exman – M.Sc. Software Engineering

Heads of Academic UnitsDr. Doron Azulay – PhysicsDr. Alison Fisch Katz – EnglishDr. Hagit Last – MathematicsDr. Ruth Sfez - Chemistry

Dean of StudentsDr. Vitaly Haslavsky

Head of the Research CommitteeDr. Doron Azulay

Head of the Center for Promotion of Teaching & LearningDr. Itay Furman

Chair of the Academic CommitteeDr. Ruth Sfez

Academic Head, Pre-Academic Preparatory ProgramDr. Miriam Allalouf

College Leadership

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Administrative ManagementMs. Anat Chen - Director of Human Resources

Acc. Yitzhak Daniel - Deputy Director General for Finance

Ms. Hadar Dar - Director of Academic Administration

Eng. Inbal Eliyahu - Director of Purchasing and Logistics

Mr. Avinoam Gil - Director of Construction Projects

Ms. Or Huski - Director of Academic and Community Relations and Student Welfare

Mr. Eyal Koren - College Counselor and Head of Student Advancement

Ms. Naama Linzer-Bloom - Administrative Director Pre-academic Preparatory Programs

Mr. Shalom Luski - Director of Facilities Management

Eng. Michael Mizrahi - Director of the Authority for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Ms. Sharon Moyal - Director of Students' Admission Center

Mr. Yair Naveh - Deputy Director General for IT

Mr. Uri Paz - Director of Marketing

Ms. Orit Rothfeld - Director of Handasit and Professional Studies

Ms. Tal Sarig - Director of Academic Development

Ms. Adi Sisso - Director of the Dean of Students office

Ms. Judi Srebro - Director of Resource Development

Ms. Sarit Tzuk - Director of Alumni Relations and Career Center

Eng. Roman Valershtein - Director of Security

Ms. Sarit Yazdi - Personal Assistant to Director General

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College ProgramsUndergraduate Engineering Programs (B.Sc.)

Software Engineering

Advanced Materials Engineering

Industrial Engineering and Management

Electronics and Electrical Engineering

Pharmaceutical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Graduate ProgramsM.Sc. Software Engineering

M.A. Technological Entrepreneurship

Special Academic ProgramsSoftware Engineering program for ultra-Orthodox women

Special Academic CollaborationsDouble major in Chemistry (Hebrew University) and Advanced Materials Engineering (Azrieli College)

Pre-Academic ProgramsCompletion of requirements for admission to the academic engineering programs

Preparatory program for candidates from East Jerusalem

Preparatory program for ultra-Orthodox women

Academic UnitsMathematics | Physics | Chemistry | English

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The College by the Numbers

Founded in

1999

Many Azrieli students are the first generation in their families to pursue higher education.

36% female students

17% Arab students

Approximately 55% of students are residents of Jerusalem, 27% are from regions surrounding Jerusalem, and 18% come from the rest of the country.

96 Technical and Administrative Staff Members

3315 Engineers graduated from the college

58 Faculty Members

2 Master’s Degree Programs

4 Academic Units

6 Academic Departments

1,400 students

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Azrieli Engineering College in Numbers

2018/2017 2017/2016

NIS $US % NIS $US %

INCOME

Allocations from the Council of Higher Education 46,048 12,696 64% 49,120 13,919 65%

Tuition 19,920 5,492 28% 21,432 6,073 28%

Transfer from Funds 1,695 467 2% 1,579 447 2%

Other Income 3,761 1037 5% 3,382 958 4%

TOTAL 71,424 19,692 100% 75,513 21,398 100%

EXPENDITURE

Salaries 38,231 10,541 54% 35,461 10,048 47%

Scholarships & Student Aid 3,937 1,085 6% 3,791 1,074 5%

Academic Lab expenses 1,383 381 2% 1,088 308 1%

Marketing 3,376 931 5% 5,347 1,515 7%

Administration 6,944 1,915 10% 7,175 2,033 10%

Maintenance & Information System 7,751 2,137 11% 7,522 2,131 10%

Depreciation 8,589 2,368 12% 8,958 2,538 12%

Finance Exp. (Income), net -90 -25 0% -38 -11 0%

Income tax Exp. 54 15 0% 87 25 0%

TOTAL 70,175 19,348 98% 69,391 19,663 92%

Operating Surplus 1,249 344 2% 6,122 1,735 8%

NIS/$ exchange rate: 3.63 3.53

College Operating Budget (in thousands)

College Operating Budget (in thousands)

Financial Report

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College Family of Friends and Contributors Work 2017/18 Year-End Figures

NIS thousand Contributions Received 8,879 Endowment Fund Balance (as of Sep 30, 2018) 23,749

As at

Sep 30, 2018 Sep 30, 2017Assets NIS $US NIS $USCurrents Assets 108,208 29,834 100,207 28,395

Fixed Assets 173,016 47,702 166,890 47,291Other Assets, net 5,000 1,379 10,000 2,834Total 286,224 78,915 277,097 78,520

Current Liabilities 24,597 6,782 23,749 6,730

Long term Liabilities - Loan 5,734 1,581 6,600 1,870Unrestricted Net Asset 175,222 48,310 167,615 47,496Temporarily restricted Net Assets 69,419 19,140 67,881 19,235Permanently Restricted Net Assets 11,252 3,102 11,252 3,188Total 286,224 78,915 277,097 78,520

College Family of Friends and Contributors Work 2017/18 Year-End Figures

NIS thousand Contributions Received 8,879 Endowment Fund Balance (as of Sep 30, 2018) 23,749

As at

Sep 30, 2018 Sep 30, 2017Assets NIS $US NIS $USCurrents Assets 108,208 29,834 100,207 28,395

Fixed Assets 173,016 47,702 166,890 47,291Other Assets, net 5,000 1,379 10,000 2,834Total 286,224 78,915 277,097 78,520

Current Liabilities 24,597 6,782 23,749 6,730

Long term Liabilities - Loan 5,734 1,581 6,600 1,870Unrestricted Net Asset 175,222 48,310 167,615 47,496Temporarily restricted Net Assets 69,419 19,140 67,881 19,235Permanently Restricted Net Assets 11,252 3,102 11,252 3,188Total 286,224 78,915 277,097 78,520

Balance Sheet Data (in thousands)

College Family of Friends and Contributors 2017/18 Year-End Figures

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Students & AlumniIn 2018, 255 engineers graduated from the college, increasing the total number of Azrieli College graduates to over 3,300. Most of the graduates work in Jerusalem and its vicinity, contributing to the high-tech, bio-tech, and pharmaceutical industries in the region.

Our graduates are the best contacts to the industry, and as they advance on their professional path, they also recruit new Azrieli students and graduates. In addition to establishing contacts with potential employers and advertising openings for engineers in the various fields, the College's Career Services Center offers training in soft skills,

such as successful interview skills and proper CV writing. The center maintains personal contact with graduates immediately after graduation in order to track their job placement and assist graduates seeking employment.

The 2018 graduates were recruited to a wide range of companies including: Intel, Rafa, Mobileye, Sintec Media, ExLibris, QualiTest, Kramer Electrics, Civan, Applied Materials, and various government organizations. Additionally, 22 graduates from the program in Software Engineering for ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) women are working in their professional fields.

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The Alumni Association facilitates events to allow graduates to meet one another for fun and networking. In 2018, there were two such events: a meetup lecture and a gala event at the College in October. Over 300 alumni and their spouses attended the gala event featuring a stand-up comedy performance by Kobi Maimon.

A significant number of graduates from all the academic departments work in their field of study. The average placement of our graduates in their fields of study is 87%, with 96.3% of mechanical engineering graduates and 93.5% of graduates of software engineering working in their field of study.

Alumni Spotlight

Noam ShaboGraduation Year: 2015 | Major: Industrial Engineering & Management Current Position: Information Systems Manager | Employer: Jewish Agency for Israel

On the experience of studying at Azrieli College and its impact on career:My degree has provided me with unique tools - mathematical and engineering tools that helped me build a unique toolbox. The degree has afforded me many options within the job market. With time, I am realizing that I can integrate these tools in almost every area.

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Prof. Iaakov Exman – Head of the Students Excellence Program

2019 marks ten years of the Students Excellence Program which is currently funded by the Sherover Foundation, in memory of Gita Sherover.

The program goal is to stimulate students to fully realize their intellectual potential for the benefit of society at large, for the College, their colleagues and themselves. We believe that many students have the potential for excellence, regardless of socio-economic background or other factors from their home life, upbringing, or past.

Each year, five new students are selected, in a very competitive atmosphere, among 50 candidates. A candidate must earn a GPA of over 90 in his/her studies and be interviewed by the Excellence Program committee. Once passing the interview, the student is required to present a five minute development plan of an original dream idea. Each participant may be a member of the Excellence Program until graduating, receiving a generous scholarship each year.

The program’s guiding concepts are:

RENAISSANCE – Do not focus in narrow knowledge areas. Creativity comes from unexpected associations among apparently diverse areas.

TURING – The Turing test for artificial intelligence – conversational question-answering – is also a good selection filter for natural intelligence and an intellectual enhancing practice.

To apply these concepts, before each program event, students are required to prepare background material relevant to the planned activity. They are expected

to ask questions, provide their own answers, and be able to defend a personal position during the event conversation. Following are three selected program activities from throughout the years.

The Magic Flute Opera – students attended a performance of "The Magic Flute" opera by Mozart at the Israeli Opera in Tel-Aviv. The background material included a recording of the "Night Queen" aria by Maria Callas, biographical data about Mozart, and the opera libretto. The event included a visit behind the scenes, with explanation about its technology. We also had a personal conversation with the tenor singing the "Papageno" role in the Opera. Students asked questions, such as: why be restricted to a mostly obsolete/irrelevant text to convey modern messages? what is the future of this complex kind of performing art?

For the sake of comparison, students watched a video of a modern opera played by robots from the MIT media lab.

Shakespeare’s Memory – students were requested to read a short-story by Jorge Luis Borges, entitled “Shakespeare’s Memory.” It narrates the peculiar case of a German academic expert on Shakespeare, who is offered to receive the actual memory of William Shakespeare himself. Despite being skeptical about the offer, he accepts, due to second thoughts about the exceptional treasure of being able to investigate Shakespeare’s creativity from within. Gradually he experienced random memories of Shakespeare’s life up to the point of being almost overwhelmed by Shakespeare’s personality. Afraid of completely losing his own personality, he relinquishes Shakespeare’s memory by means of a random phone

The Renaissance of Excellence

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call. Students were asked to discuss whether one can transfer personality by modern communication means, for example by text messages.

Video Art by Julian Rosefeldt – students recently visited the Israel Museum to see the "Manifesto" exhibition. It consists of a very large installation with thirteen wide

screens, continuously showing contrasting videos, all of them with well-known film star Cate Blanchett. In each video, in a variety of background scenarios - such as a home dinner, a ballet company theater, a cocktail party - the star makes a speech about 20th Century art movements. Students were asked about the overall message of the video series.

Alumni Spotlight

Stas ShorhevskyGraduation Year: 2009 | Major: Industrial Engineering & Management Current Position: Manager, Electronics Laboratory Staff | Employer: Intel

On the experience of studying at Azrieli College and its impact on career:At Azrieli College, I acquired the ability to learn new things independently and to recognize and identify the important things quickly. The courses are an excellent foundation, with additional knowledge acquired on the job.

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Faculty and Administrative StaffRecruiting faculty members is one of the College’s main challenges. In 2018-19, we recruited four senior and six junior faculty members, replacing three senior members and one junior member, who had resigned. There are currently 44 senior and fourteen junior faculty members. The growing number of faculty members results in a reduction of teaching hours by adjunct lecturers.

The number of administrative staff did not change much in the last year but is expected to increase, as the college continues to initiate new endeavors.

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37.5

75

112.5

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Year2013-2014

2014-20152015-2016

2016-20172017-2018

2018-2019

Administrative staff Adjunct lecturers Tenure Track

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Faculty Ranks

Gender of Employees

Among administrative staff, including management positions, females are the dominant gender, whereas males comprise 58% of academic faculty and 55% of management positions in Academia.

All Employees

Administrative Staff

Academic Faculty58%

34%

42%

66%

FemaleMale Management Positions

55%

35%

45%

65%

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J. Teacher B

Associate Professor

Senior Lecturer

Lecturer

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Intranasal administration is a local and systemic delivery method for a number of therapeutic agents. The nasal mucosa is easily accessible, and intranasal drug administration is non-invasive and convenient for patients. Intranasal delivery can circumvent the blood-brain barrier, allowing some compounds to enter the brain through the olfactory region. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems improve efficiency and safety of drugs by controlling the location and rate of drug-release. Nanoparticles can transport and deliver therapeutic agents to different parts of the body, enhancing the therapeutic bioavailability at the targeted area while minimizing the toxicity to healthy cells.

During the final stages of this surgery, nasal packing is used to prevent tissue adhesion, stabilize the nasal structures, and lower the rates of post-operative bleeding. Many forms of treatment are currently used to optimize tissue healing, improve post-surgical outcome, and mitigate complications.

The research project combines drug-eluting nanoparticles with a biodegradable nasal depot system to provide superior functionality to the composite material. The novel

nasal depots’ clinical potential is evaluated. This platform can be utilized for local drug delivery, for example, in endoscopic sinus surgery, used to treat various nasal conditions. It can also be used for nose-to-brain drug delivery, which enables transport of various therapeutics directly to the brain. This includes treatment of neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, mental disorders, or other diseases, like cancer or infections.

This project is a collaboration with Dr. Maayan Gruber, Pediatric Otolaryngology Consultant at the Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel

Faculty Research

Incorporating Drug-Loaded Nanoparticles into Nasal Depots for Programming Extended ReleaseDr. Aiman Abu Ammar, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering

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This project is devoted to solving a problem that exists throughout the world related to a very specific process. There are many cases where children are born, when their hip joint is not in its proper place or children who dislodge the hip joint following an accident or injury. This medical problem is resolved by a complete anesthetic surgery, where a cast is applied from waist to foot. The doctor manually inserts the hip joint into place while holding the child still. This surgery is repeated several times until the joint returns to its natural position and works smoothly. The doctor holds the child’s feet static throughout the surgery in order to fix the legs to the correct angle and direction. This process is cumbersome and results in inadvertent movements and unwanted angle changes. The procedure for joint fixation is performed manually by an orthopedist, with two additional staff members placing the cast from the waist area to the patient’s foot area, under full anesthesia and on a designated bed.

We have developed a device that stabilizes and fixes the patient’s legs during surgery on an injured hip joint. This device is a manipulator, attached to the designated bed. This manipulator fully replaces the function of holding the child’s legs in place and actually keeps the patient’s feet static throughout surgery. Additionally, one person operates the device, creating a workspace that is less crowded and more comfortable. The prototype saves time, material, and human resources during surgery and meets the medical team’s and patient’s needs.

With various adjustments, this device will be able to provide solutions for additional medical cases within the orthopedic industry.

This project was performed with cooperation with Dr. Vladimir Goldman, from the Pediatric Orthopedics Unit at Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

Orthopedic Cast Application DeviceDr. Vitaly Haslavsky, Department of Mechanical Engineering

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Tissue Engineering is a multidisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering, life sciences, cell and molecular biology, and chemistry toward newly developed tissues, either to restore tissue function, or to serve as research models to investigate the molecular mechanisms in healthy and diseased tissues. Classic tissue engineering relies on components such as cells, scaffolds, bioactive molecules, and biophysical parameters.

Tali has focused on constructing a 3D endometrium-like tissue system as a model for embryo implantation studies, in collaboration with Prof. Reich from the Hebrew University. Their preliminary results indicated that endometrial cell culture within porous alginate scaffolds gave a long-term model for viable, hormone-responsive tissue that mimics the menstrual cycle and is capable of “embryo-like” attachment. They are currently working on constructing a more complex bi-layer tissue structure to imitate the endometrium tissue more closely.

An additional project is to establish a 3D ovarian carcinoma cell culture and to use it as a model for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms governing tumor progression. This is also in collaboration with Prof. Reich. To that end, Tali, together with Aharon Baskin, a junior faculty member at Azrieli College and joint Ph.D. student, are working on designing a dynamic bioreactor system to emulate the flow conditions of native tissue.

An additional project to develop a device for intra-abdominal mesh coating in minimally invasive hernia surgery is in collaboration with Prof. Yoav Mintz from Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem.

Design and Construction of Three Dimensional (3D) Tissue Constructs by Tissue Engineering TechniquesDr. Tali Tavor Reem, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering

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Laboratory courses have been an integral part of the learning curriculum in science and engineering degrees for decades. These courses offer a unique kind of teaching and learning platform, which has the advantage of being personalized and student-centered. We propose to use the laboratory platform for developing special teaching and learning abilities, along with valid methods of formative assessment. The laboratory environment requires many levels of performance; therefore, it is usually a difficult task to properly grade the students and to evaluate their learning curves during the course. Specifically, the students’ performance during the lab, which is an essential part of the final grade, is very difficult to assess. In this research, we introduce a

methodology for the evaluation of student performance in laboratory courses, which involves TAs and students. This methodology should enable an efficient formative assessment of the learning process during the course. It also provides the opportunity for a more ethical and rationalized grading system in laboratory courses. Because this method includes a self-evaluation process and immediate feedback, it might help students to rapidly improve their performance in all courses (not just laboratories), by stimulation of a continuous reflecting process. Data analysis involves advanced statistical methods and the use of feature extraction in machine learning.

Laboratory Courses as a Platform for Student-Centered Teaching: Grading, Learning Processes and EthicsDr. Ruthy Sfez, Department of Advanced Materials Engineering

Excellence

Faculty ResearchHighlighting Faculty Research

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Alumni Spotlight

Yaakov HatamGraduation Year: 2016 | Major: Software Engineering | Current Position: Client side architect and programming lecturer | Employer: The Israel Airports Authority and John Bryce Institute

On the experience of studying at Azrieli College and its impact on career:I am certain that without my degree, I would not have advanced and achieved my career goals, as I enjoy and continue to do every day anew. I thank Azrieli College for the assistance and support throughout my studies toward my degree.

Professionalism

Environmental Technologies Engineering ProgramAt the heart of the Environmental Technologies program stands the Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment. The lab, led by Dr. Yaal Lester, is equipped with all the necessary equipment for a student lab, as well as with state-of-the-art research instrumentation, such as TOC (Total Organic Carbon) and IC (Ion Chromatograph) analyzers. The lab’s principal goals are:

to complement the theoretical studies of the program with practical experience, essential for environmental engineers;

to enable high quality water research.

In the lab, students experience and operate for the first time common water and wastewater treatment

techniques, such as coagulation/filtration, activated carbon sorption, disinfection methods, and wastewater quality analysis, among others. The laboratory and its team also support the students in their final projects, providing technical, analytical, and mentoring assistance. The lab team produces research, conducting projects such as the monitoring of metal contamination throughout Jerusalem’s water distribution system, evaluation of advanced UV-based water treatment technics, and others. This research enhances collaboration between the College and other academic and non-academic institutions, producing high-quality scientific publications, and promoting the College.

Water & Wastewater Technologies Laboratory

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“Water in California and Israel: Challenges and Solutions” – A joint course with the University of San Diego’s Shiley – Marcos School of Engineering

The Environmental Technologies specialization at Azrieli College has developed, in collaboration with the University of San Diego (USD), a course entitled “Water in California and Israel: Challenges and Solutions.” The 3-credit course is part of the Mechanical Engineering program at USD, with enrollment by seventeen students in their final B.Sc. year of studies.

The course is comprised of three sections:

The first part was facilitated in San Diego in February 2019 by Dr. Frank Jacobitz (Department of Mechanical Engineering, USD) and Dr. Yaal Lester (Azrieli College). Here, students acquired basic knowledge of water sources, quality parameters, and potential water pollutants.

The second part of the course took place in Israel in March 2019. The seventeen USD students visited Azrieli College and practiced water & wastewater treatments at the Environmental Technologies lab. They were guided by Dr. Yaal Lester and Azrieli students from the Environmental Technologies program. Students engaged in a joint project of

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water quality and treatment. Additionally, USD students visited various water treatment and management plants in Israel and learned of Israel’s water challenges.

The third part of the course takes place back in San Diego, with students from Azrieli College visiting their peers in April 2019, and presenting their joint projects at a student conference. Azrieli students will also visit California water facilities and learn about local water challenges there.

This course was developed based on the common characteristics of water shortage in Israel and Southern California. The course offers students a common forum for preparing for lab meetings and joint projects, enhancing collaboration between the two academic institutions.

The pilot course has been generously funded by the Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative. The plan is for the course to be offered annually, subject to funding. This pilot joint course serves as the foundation for future collaborative projects between Azrieli College of Engineering and the University of San Diego.

Alumni Spotlight

Elad YarhiGraduation Year: 2015 | Major: Electrical and Electronic Engineering Current Position: Post Silicon Validation Engineer | Employer: Intel Labs

On the experience of studying at Azrieli College and its impact on career:My studies at the College gave me the foundation of knowledge of electronics, thanks to which I am working in the field today. I fondly remember my college experience, together with my classmates, always helping one another, and always with a feeling of wanting to help each other succeed.

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Innovation and Creativity

Academic DevelopmentThe Uzi Wexler Program in Technological Entrepreneurship

In the 2018-19 academic year, Azrieli College of Engineering launched a master’s degree in technological entrepreneurship, the first program in Israel to offer these studies within the framework of engineering studies, as opposed to business administration studies.

The goal of the program is to provide its graduates with the ability to lead and promote technological or engineering projects until they achieve successful business realization. The program was established to provide students with theoretical and practical engineering knowledge, practical experience in technological entrepreneurship, and exposure to the business world. It constitutes the necessary connection between the engineering world and the business world.

The uniqueness of our MA program in technological entrepreneurship is to provide professional tools to be leaders in the development of initiatives and in fact enable its graduates to learn and experience how to take an idea and turn it into a business based on technological development. Students in this track are

given the opportunity to take a multi-disciplinary and systemic engineering view and to connect to the AtoBe accelerator, which will accompany the students as an integral part of the program.

The program is accompanied by leading technological entrepreneurs in Israel. The students are exposed to and meet with key figures from the local industry, venture community, and local technological ecosystem. Whenever needed, the class environment simulates the business environment. The program includes business games and simulations, educational tours in the high-tech and biotech industries in Israel, and seminars on entrepreneurial technologies. For two semesters, the students work on a final project, which is guided and accompanied by industry leaders in Israel.

The graduate program in Technological Entrepreneurship is named after the late entrepreneur and builder of Jerusalem, Uzi Wexler, who founded Azrieli College of Engineering and served as its president.

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Brigadier General (Air Force res.) Professor Alon Dumanis leads the program. Professor Dumanis founded and managed the Van Leer Jerusalem Technological Incubator, served as CEO of the Dutch investment company Docor, and was involved in the establishment of over 80 companies, some of which reached significant realization (such as MEDIGUIDE, PROTALIX, SECUREISLANDS, etc.).

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AtoBe Accelerator, the Entrepreneur’s Center at Azrieli College of Engineering Jerusalem, supports start-up companies in their first steps, from the point of an idea to concrete startups, from point A to point “Be”. The accelerator offers an immersive six-month high growth training program, providing office space, mentorship, a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, and introductions to investors and industry.

By mobilizing academic know-how, a crack team of coaches, and an intensive program, AtoBe supports the startups in becoming sustainable businesses. Over the course of the six-month program, the teams transform from idea-based startups to businesses. The accelerator

encourages Azrieli College students and faculty to develop their ideas into products, but it also serves as a center for engineering-based entrepreneurship for the general population in Jerusalem, spreading entrepreneurship into the community and encouraging economic growth in the city.

Thirty-nine companies participated in the first four rounds of the accelerator, and twelve are currently enrolled in the fifth round. AtoBe companies have raised $24 million and won prizes in competitions in Israel and abroad.

Companies which have emerged from the AtoBe accelerator include Keepers, EZsave, The Elegant Monkeys, Äirscort, Vicarious, and many more.

AtoBe has implemented a unique pre-Acceleration program called WamdaTech for Arab students from the Hebrew University and Azrieli College. Wamda means a flash of light in Arabic, which symbolizes the birth

AtoBe - The Azrieli College of Engineering Startups Accelerator


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of an idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. Scholarships are awarded by the Shirat Foundation. The goal of the program is to create optimal conditions for the students to grow technological / scientific ideas in teams that will then apply to the AtoBe accelerator program and develop startup companies. The program includes twelve Druze and Arab engineering students from Azrieli College and the Hebrew University, in the hopes that the integration will result in technological and / or business ventures in the near future. After the first and successful cycle, the program is now in its second cohort.

International ActivitiesThe accelerator is also a center of knowledge collaborating with companies and governments abroad, having hosted five heads of state and dozens of ministers, deputy ministers, ambassadors, businesspeople, education leaders, and more, through dozens of delegations. In the last year alone, 25 delegations from around the world visited the college and accelerator. The college hosted 37 interns from New

York’s Hofstra University, Jinternship, Israel Experience and Tamid programs.

One visit included a delegation of technology professionals, high-tech entrepreneurs, scientists and young academics, organized by the Masa program. The program exposes prospective immigrants to Israel to the tremendous potential that Jerusalem and Israel offer in the field of startups and high-tech.

Beyond the program in Israel, AtoBe is a senior partner of the Frankfurt Accelerator in Germany, where it was involved in developing the program and its components (from the dream stage to the construction stage). The AtoBe team also assisted in training and mentoring companies participating in the Accelerator.

A cooperation agreement was signed between Azrieli College of Engineering and the Czech Technological University for academic collaboration and the establishment of PATRIC - Prague Advanced Technology

AtoBe - The Azrieli College of Engineering Startups Accelerator

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and Research Innovation Center, in collaboration with leading Czech company VDT Technology. The agreement will serve as a basis for promotion of entrepreneurship and business activities by students and staff at both institutions and is intended to support the development of industry and science in the Czech Republic.

AtoBe advises the Macedonian government in implementing acceleration programs, following a visit of Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zayev, accompanied by senior ministers in his government. The visit was led by Dan Orian, Israel’s Ambassador to Macedonia and Director of the Balkan Department of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The delegation learned about the activities of the Accelerator and met with the active entrepreneurs at the Accelerator. Following the tour, the Macedonian prime minister announced the establishment of a new joint venture and high-tech center at the Technical University in the city of Bitola in Southern Macedonia. The Accelerator also assisted in facilitating a technological Hackathon, the first of its kind to revive the story of the extinct Jewish community in Bitola, by turning its Jewish cemetery into an innovative technological tourism site. The Hackathon was led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the AtoBe Accelerator, Tomorrow JLM, Bar Ilan University, the Holon Institute of Technology, the Tower of David Museum, Yad Vashem, My Heritage, and others.

AtoBe continues to cooperate and advise the BioSense incubator in Serbia and manage their acceleration program. The cooperation was initiated following a visit of Dr. Nand Popovitch, Minister of Innovation and Technological Development of Serbia, who arrived with a delegation of senior officials and members of parliament.

Community

The Entrepreneurship Center is active and supports philanthropic programs for youth education in entrepreneurship and technology, including Unistream, Machshava-Tova international program for youth at risk, Young Entrepreneurs of Leumi, and others.

The Entrepreneurship Center collaborates with most of the organizations in the Jerusalem and Israeli entrepreneurship community and has been involved in many initiatives and events in the Jerusalem entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Another program of the center is the AtoBe Business Class Entrepreneur’s Club, in which the center hosts bi-monthly events open to the greater community. The event includes an off-the-record talk with an entrepreneurial figure.

The college and accelerator host activities of the JLM BioCity community. Jerusalem has leading hospitals, biomedical research centers, and over 100 start-up companies in the field of bio-medical engineering. JLM-BioCity’s goal is to assist the development of the emerging biomedical industry in Jerusalem by strengthening the ties between all relevant bodies in the city through the community of leaders in the field and through a unique biomedical interface, making it one of the leading growth engines of the city.


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Israeli academia is a significant force, contributing to the advancement of society, industry, and culture in Israel and abroad. In recent years, it has become apparent that Israeli academia is far from realizing its full potential in utilizing the research infrastructure to promote innovation-based entrepreneurship processes.

This situation led the Council for Higher Education (CHE) to launch a call for the establishment of a “new campus”- one that will actively promote an “entrepreneurial spirit,” provide students and researchers with the tools and skills required for innovation and entrepreneurship, and also extend the innovative spirit to the greater community. Such a campus will affect the economy and social infrastructure of its region.

To that end, the CHE publicized a request for proposals, with grants for third, second, and first place amounting

to ten, fifteen, and 20 million NIS over the next four years for an academic cooperation to advance these goals.

Understanding this urgent need led Jerusalem’s three leading academic institutions, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, and Azrieli College of Engineering Jerusalem, specializing in complementary fields of knowledge, to establish the JLM Impact Consortium. The consortium creates a powerful strategic partnership, with the goal of strengthening innovative and entrepreneurial activity within academia and throughout the city of Jerusalem. The JLM-Impact consortium won first place and has initiated the collaboration and the activities in Academia and the city.

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The tools by which the consortium promotes its goal include:

1. Exposure and promotion of a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship - encouraging dialogue about innovation and entrepreneurship and promoting it within the academic community as a whole – among students, researchers, administrative staff and graduates, as well as the general public. The accessibility of discourse and entrepreneurial language will enable participants to acquire the tools needed to make informed choices as to whether and how they wish to delve deeper into the subject.

2. Education and training on innovative thinking - the consortium will help students and researchers develop skills from the innovation and entrepreneurship fields through a series of courses, programs, and activities. These skills are essential for integration into the employment and career development market in the twenty-first century.

3. Supporting the establishment of projects - the center will promote and support the establishment of new projects by students, researchers, and graduates and will accompany them in the first steps of moving the project from the academic environment to the “real world,” helping to reduce barriers in the process.

Alumni Spotlight

Dganit SternGraduation Year: 2014 Major: Pharmaceutical Engineering Current Position: R & D Engineer Employer: Seevix Material Sciences LTD Israel

On the experience of studying at Azrieli College and its impact on career:I felt that the degree gave me a basis, from which I can continue to deepen my learning in many areas. The College supplied me with a pleasant and supportive surrounding for my studies, and the faculty, along with being professional, were caring and attentive.


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Pre-Academic Preparatory Programs The College’s pre-academic preparatory programs offer an additional opportunity for higher education and help to increase accessibility to engineering studies to potential students who do not yet meet the acceptance requirements for academic studies.

There are a number of preparatory programs at the College, customized for students from varying backgrounds, ranging from a year-long program for those who require fulfillment of prerequisites in math and physics, to shorter programs to meet only specific acceptance requirements. For the 2017-18 academic year, 138 students were enrolled in the comprehensive year-long program, and 111 students were enrolled in the math program. This year, 151 students already started the comprehensive program.

These programs are intended for students from throughout Israeli society, including Arab students, students from the East Jerusalem education system, Ethiopian-Israelis, ultra-Orthodox women, and the

general population. The programs provide an inclusive answer to the various needs among a range of students, such as:

Hebrew language classes, along with social and academic assistance for Arab students

Support services and individual and group assistance in the areas of learning strategies, time management, test-taking anxiety, and others

Facilitating tuition scholarship and living expenses stipends for eligible students, in accordance with the Defense Ministry and the Council for Higher Education

Personal follow-up on each student’s academic situation and provision of personalized assistance as needed, such as tutoring, motivational conversations, referral for academic evaluation, etc.

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Dean of StudentsScholarships and Community Outreach

471 internalscholarships

98 excellence scholarships

8 financial assistance programs

13 social programs

236 social involvement scholarships

a total of

1166scholarships3.7

million Shekels

65 general scholarships

1.85 million Shekels

internal scholarships

72 financial assistance scholarships

695 external scholarships

15 external organizations and NGOs

9 excellence scholarship tracks

48.5% of students received scholarship support. Scholarships are distributed on the basis of community service, socio-economic need, and excellence.

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The Dean of Students office is in charge of student scholarships and community outreach activities of the college. The office operates programs that contribute to the community, with special focus on the young people of Jerusalem and that empower the college students.

The Multicultural Women’s Leadership Program empowers female students by enriching their knowledge in gender equality and cultural diversity issues, within general society and particularly in the fields of science, technology, and engineering. The program involves Jewish and Arab students, exposing them to multicultural issues and addressing the common concerns of women pursuing a career in engineering, regardless of their background. The program encourages personal development and teaches the student how to jumpstart a fulfilling and successful career. Program participants serve as role models to female teenagers from the Boyar and Beit Safafa high schools, exposing them to the engineering and science professions and encouraging a sense of ability to pursue engineering and scientific careers.

Tutoring- In 2018, 65 students of excellence tutored 121 students in the pre-academic preparatory programs, including those requiring academic assistance, those with learning disabilities, and new immigrants. One of the participants stated: “I have succeeded in my mid-term exams, and that’s thanks to my tutor. I know that without him, I’d have no chance of passing my exams…. Beyond practical tools, he has also given me confidence. I am grateful for this wonderful program.”

Social Class: Ecology and Sustainability – students are exposed to the field of sustainability and its relevance to their everyday lives and their future. The theoretical portion included weekly lectures on sustainability along the life cycle; green energy; sustainable energy; air pollution, and others. The course also included a class visit to the water purification plant at Nahal Soreq and an environmental project in cooperation with Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem.

The project enabled the students to experience planning and facilitating an environmental project, as well as contributing to the community and raising environmental awareness.

Social Class: Software Engineering in Service of the Community – fourth year software engineering students, studying in Dr. Reuven Yagel’s class, constructed Web applications, or developed technological infrastructure for NGOs that are active in Jerusalem. 64 students participated in the class and were active in thirteen different organizations in various work teams. One of the students commented: “The program helped me to further develop as a programmer and to experience the real world, with real clients. Additionally, the project increased my awareness as to just how important it is to contribute to and help society.” And one of the social organizations wrote: “I think that the program’s contribution to the organization is immeasurable, and at the same time, it is a significant contribution for the students and an unparalleled experience. It should be expanded to other educational institutions, as it is an idea that is beyond successful.”

Dialogue ProgramThe common studies among the diverse population of students at the college provide an opportunity to lower the walls of suspicion between the different sectors of Israeli Society and enhance the dialogue between these future engineers. The dean of students operates the “Dialogue Program,” which brings together Arab and Jewish students in a program that encourages tolerance, involvement, social responsibility, and mutual respect amongst all students in the college. The primary purpose

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is to bridge the gaps between the various groups in the population through an intellectual meeting of minds and an open discussion between students with a wide spectrum of opinions. 28 Arab and Jewish students took part in the dialogue program in 2018.

A student’s feedback:

“I wish there were programs like this everywhere, at schools and workplaces. I believe that if this would happen, with conversations without borders, where everyone would be able to express himself and his thoughts freely, it would reduce the hate and misunderstanding on both sides, and it would provide an opportunity to repair relationships. We are all human beings, and the conflicts between people stem from a lack of understanding and a lack of communication. Thank you for this program, in which I am happy to have participated.”

In the 2018 academic year, we operated 30 different frameworks for community service in the following organizations:

Mahshava Tova, the Alin Hospital, the Boyar School, Big Brother/Big Sister Israel, Yovel School, Lonely but Not Alone, Beit Safafa High School, Young Entrepreneurs, Kesher, the Fanny Kaplan Community Center, the Wizo Battered Women’s Shelter, The Israel Goldstein Youth Village of Hanoar Hatzioni, Beit Hagalgalim, Shaare Zedek Hospital, ISEF, Youth Business Leadership, Atnachta, Kottev- Healthy Therapeutic Community Ltd, Bloomfield Science Museum Jerusalem, Adopt a Saba (Grandfather), The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel (SPCA Israel), Resheet School, Hadassah Har Hatzofim Hospital- Rehabilitation Department, Jerusalem Union Against Drugs and Alcohol, Qualita- Umbrella Organization of French-Speaking Immigrants in Israel, Ort Beit Haarava, Student Council Azrieli College of Engineering, Israeli Hope, Celiac Israel

Ofek Support CenterWe wish to thank Ms. Suzanna Wolf, founder of the college’s Ofek Support Center, for her immense contribution to the success of the students she supported and her dedication to their welfare. We wish Suzanna all the best upon her retirement.

The center provides consulting and holistic support to students facing personal, cognitive, physical, and mental difficulties that impair their ability to fully realize their academic abilities. The support center provides the students with practical tools to overcome barriers and succeed in their studies.

The center consultants, led by Eyal Koren, receive learning disabilities diagnoses and recommend measures that provide equal opportunity for success to students with disabilities. The center offers personal consulting and mentorship, as well as workshops aimed at improving learning processes in a wide array of fields, such as time management, preparing for exams, coping with test anxiety and mindfulness. The center also refers students to psychological assistance when needed.

The center is in charge of accessibility throughout the campus and conducts training to college faculty and staff regarding accessibility of service at the campus.

At the Ofek center, assistive technology and special software such as text to speech software, math writing software and online lessons is provided to students with disabilities.

In the 2017-18 academic year, the center assisted 252 students with learning disabilities and 56 students with a physical disability, hearing or vision impairment. Personal Attention

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Israeli Hope 2019“Academia and the workforce are the gateway to realizing the Israeli dream. They are the entry ticket for all of us to the centers of influence in the market... There, a sense of belonging and social status is forming. There, the treasure of ideas across the human spectrum is not a threat, but rather a competitive advantage.”

President of Israel Reuven Rivlin, at the launch of Israeli Hope in Academia, 2016

Israeli Hope is the broad umbrella of activity which comprises Israel’s presidential initiative within key fields for the future of Israeli society. Israeli Hope in Academia specifically relates to Israeli Academia as the first meeting place for the various sectors of Israeli society.

Israeli Hope in Academia includes four central goals:

Diversity and Representation: increasing diversity and representation of the various population groups among an institution’s population, at all levels of the academic hierarchy

Cultural skills: improving institutions’ adjustments and system for the various groups within them

Image of an academic graduate: promoting academia’s commitment to its graduates acquiring the necessary knowledge, skills, and experiences for life in a Jewish Democratic state and in a partnership-promoting society

Academia-employment continuum: strengthening the element connecting academia and employment

For the second year, Azrieli College is a partner in the activities of Israeli Hope in Academia. The College is an example of a multi-cultural institution, with students who are secular, religious, Arab, and ultra-Orthodox. The College emphasizes its goal of making higher education accessible, specifically in the field of engineering, to students from all sectors, and works through Israeli

Hope to promote the program’s goals. Activities include increasing diversity among the student body, faculty, and management, educational events for academic faculty and staff, student focus groups, multi-cultural events, language accessibility, unique career guidance events for ultra-Orthodox students and for Arab students and others.

122 faculty members participated in the educational events, which addressed the cultural characteristics of various groups in Israeli society, cultural differences and prejudices, and the provision of service to a diverse population or teaching within a diverse classroom setting. This content was presented with an emphasis on getting acquainted with the existing services at the college available to Arab students and ultra-Orthodox students. The educational events were facilitated in an enjoyable and experiential nature and included lectures, workshops, and tours. This provided acquaintance with the various communities, understanding the varying needs, and providing the tools for quality service and instruction, customized for a diverse community. The events offered opportunities for the faculty to think, learn, and conceptualize the social processes that happen in the city and are at the heart of “the new Israeli order.”

“Sometimes, it’s difficult for us to understand the feelings of a population that is different from ours, and our exposure through this program to the variety of populations at the college presented me with many new insights.”

“This is the beginning of the process of dialogue between different levels and parts of society, and it carries a lot of importance and benefit, specifically within academia and at the College. The College can and does serve as a bridge between east and west.”

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"Things Done Right Transform Vision into Reality"Uzi Wexler z"l

A memorial display was dedicated at the college in memory of Uzi Wexler z"l.

The display, entitled, "Things Done Right Transform Vision into Reality," memorializes Uzi's contributions to the development of the city of Jerusalem and the establishment of the college. The memorial was designed by Uzi's daughter, artist Gaby Wexler-Kasan. Gaby's drawings, etched on glass panels, depict Uzi's main projects in the city: City Hall, Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem Pais Arena, Begin Highway, Har Hotzvim Tech Park, Malcha Center and Tech Park, and others.

It also depicts Uzi's dream of creating an engineering college that provides the young people of Jerusalem an opportunity to become engineers with promising economic prospects.

The ceremony took place as part of the 2018 Board of Governors events, in the presence of board members, Uzi's family and friends, and the college's faculty and staff.

Uzi's inspiration and advice are greatly missed, and we will continue to pursue his vision and his dream.

Daniella Wexler and Eti Meuchas at the dedication

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In memory of Yaron Zakhyem, 1954 - 2018

Born and raised in Jerusalem, the son of Zvi and Maksima, and the brother of Hadassah, Yaron Zakhyem served as a member of Azrieli College of Engineering Jerusalem’s Executive Committee and Board of Governors since 2011 and for the remainder of his life.

Drafted into the IDF Armored Corps, Yaron fought in the Yom Kippur War and completed his military service as a Logistics Corps Company Commander.

Yaron was married to Tali, and together they raised their three children, Guy, who passed away in 2001,

Michal, and Omri, whom we wish long life. Yaron was a dedicated, loving, and beloved husband, father, and grandfather.

With a degree in accounting from the Hebrew University, Yaron worked for many years as accountant at Arledan Group. In August 2004, he was appointed CEO of RAFA Pharmaceutical Company, a position he filled with exemplary success. He led the company through significant growth of its activities and scope. Alongside this, he also served on the Directorial Boards of several companies.

Yaron had a big heart and a high level of social sensitivity. He was attentive to all who requested his advice or assistance. His wit and sense of humor were his signature, and he had a sharp memory and a vast knowledge of a range of topics. He was a strategic thinker and visionary, as well as an industrious and decisive industry professional.

As a member of the College’s Executive and Financial Committees, he was an active partner in discussions, decisive in his views for the sake of the college’s development, financial strength, work processes, and their betterment. His friends and partners at the College will always miss his realistic vision and his unwavering straightforwardness.

A difficult illness resulted in Yaron’s untimely passing.

May his memory be a blessing.

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In memory of Zvi Gabay, 1938 - 2018

Ambassador Zvi Gabay, an expert on Middle East affairs, a translator of Arabic poetry, and a member of the Azrieli College Board of Governors, passed away on July 27, 2018, the fifteenth of Av, 5778.

Born in Baghdad in 1938, the oldest son of Amira (Nazima) and Moshe Gabay, Zvi studied at the famed Alliance School in Baghdad, and in 1951 immigrated to Israel as part of the historic “Ezra and Nehemia” mission, together with his parents and three brothers, Freddy, Yossi, and Sasson.

Upon arrival to Israel, Zvi joined fellow youth at Kibbutz Matzuva in Israel’s Western Galilee for two and half years, working and studying. After leaving the Kibbutz, Zvi joined his family in Haifa.

In 1965, Zvi earned his degree in Political Science and Middle Eastern History from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He then began his illustrious 38-year career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1969, Zvi traveled to the US to continue his academic studies of the Middle

East at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, under the tutelage of Prof. Dov Goitein.

Zvi’s first diplomatic mission in 1970 was as Israeli Consul in Philadelphia. After that, he served as Consul in San Francisco. With the signing of the Peace Treaty with Egypt in 1979, Zvi was one of the founding members of the first Israeli Embassy in Cairo and served as its policy advisor. Upon his return to Israel, Zvi joined the Center for Policy Research at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the role of Director of the Strategy Department. In 1986, he was appointed Consul General of Israel in Sydney, Australia. After that, he returned to Israel to serve as the Director of the Egypt Department, then as Head of the Middle East Division. In 1994, Zvi served as Israel’s first resident Ambassador in Ireland and then was appointed Deputy Director of the Asia Section at the Foreign Ministry.

In 2004, Zvi retired from the Ministry and since then served in public positions within various institutions and organizations. Among them, he was a member of the Board of Governors at Azrieli College of Engineering Jerusalem.

Since his retirement, Zvi published many articles and four books on the topics of the Middle East, Jews of the Arab lands, and translations of poetry by Arab intellectuals. Throughout his career, and especially in his retirement years, Zvi was an activist in issues of Jews from Arab lands, their legacies and rights, and endeavored to bring these issues onto the public agenda.

Zvi was a Renaissance Man, mild-mannered and unassuming, who passed away at the age of 79. He left behind his wife Margalit, may she live a long life, who was his equal partner in his wide range of activity, his daughter Orna, two grandchildren, and his three brothers.

May his memory be a blessing.

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Integrity

Azrieli College's InfrastructureHousing TowerConstruction of the student-housing tower is entering its second year, with the building’s structural frame rapidly progressing, slated for completion in September 2019. Concurrently, work on infrastructure, such as plumbing, electricity, and climate control, continues. The building’s area is 11,500 square meters, with a pedestrian entrance from Beyth intersection (thoroughfare of a central artery

of Jerusalem). Upon completion of construction, we will enjoy an eighteen-story tower, with four public floors and fourteen residential floors, including 252 units in a combination of single rooms, double rooms, and three-room apartments, 336 rooms in total. Building continues with a completion target of June 2020, with the aim of opening the academic year in October 2020 with a new housing tower, fully equipped to highest standards for students.

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Campus for Ultra-Orthodox StudentsIn collaboration with the Tmura Seminar, our engineering program for ultra-Orthodox students has opened this past year in its new home, within the Beit Hadar building in the heart of Jerusalem’s Har Hotzvim Tech Park. This satellite campus is located among the city’s leading technology companies, such as Mobileye, Intel, and Ophir Optronics. The program trains ultra-Orthodox women toward a degree in software engineering. The new campus includes classrooms, computer labs, faculty room, public areas, administrative offices, and a new kitchen for students and faculty, all within and area of roughly 450 square meters.

Physics Lab

As part of the ongoing update and upgrade of the Alexander Grass Building for Engineering Laboratories, we are currently approaching completion a new 90 square meter physics lab, which will open for use by students at the beginning of the spring semester, 2019.

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Aesthetic Upgrade of CafeteriaThis year, we decided to improve upon the look and feel of the cafeteria. In coordination with architectural plans, the college facilities management team performed remodeling work, including painting and replacing the lighting system of the cafeteria. The younger look and feel is a fitting touch for our students and was presented along with the addition of vibrant and lively décor on the walls, tables, and work counters. The cafeteria’s overhaul was received with positive response from the entire college community.

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Friends of Azrieli College AssociationThe “Friends of Azrieli College” Association celebrated its second annual gala event on November 18th, 2018. The event, organized by Ms. Iris Shvil, welcomes 117 members of the association, many of them new members recruited by Mr. Avi Rubin, Chair of the Friends of Azrieli College Association. Mr. Rubin shared his views on the importance of the association’s support of the college and encouraged the new members to become involved in expanding the association and supporting its goals.

The event’s keynote address was a fascinating lecture, The Revolution of Personalized Medicine, delivered by Professor Aaron Ciechanover, recipient of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Guests also enjoyed a performance by mandolin players of the Israel Academy of Music and

Dance. The contributions raised at the event provide scholarships to students who otherwise would be unable to afford studies toward a degree in engineering.

The Friends of Azrieli College Association consists of 132 members, and we look forward to further expanding our ranks. We welcome new Friends, with a special focus on the younger generation and college alumni. We also look forward to upcoming events, which are an enjoyable way for us to show our appreciation, and thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing you at the association’s future events!

To become a Friend of Azrieli College, please contact Ms. Iris Shvil at [email protected].

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The Next FrontierOur flagship project, the Housing Tower, will serve as Home on Campus to our students. Providing young adults the opportunity to study and live in Jerusalem will attract many to continue to live in the city as young professionals.

Construction on the 18-story tower began in February 2018, and the tower will open its doors for use in October 2020, in time for the 2020-2021 academic year. It will provide amenities for student life and approximately 380 beds, in single units, 3-room apartments, and couples’ housing.

The tower and its public spaces are available for naming. Donations for the tower will enable affordable on-campus housing for engineering students, building their future and the future of the city.

Located at one of Jerusalem’s primary junctions, the Housing Tower will be prominently visible from all directions, an indelible mark of:

education and engineering promise and prosperity

for Jerusalem and Israel.

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JOIN US

We invite you to join our esteemed group of partners and supporters and contribute to the future of Jerusalem, Israel, and the success of the region’s future generations.

For more information or to schedule a campus visit, please contact Judi Srebro at [email protected] or +972-54-768-1776.

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College’s VisionServing as a leading academic institution in the field of engineering, benefiting the development of society and industry in Israel and particularly in Jerusalem

עזריאלי מכללה אקדמית להנדסה, יעקב שרייבום 26, רמת בית הכרם, ירושלים

jce.ac.il | *9087

www.saybran

d.co.il

president’s report - jerusalem college of engineering...president’s report april 2019...

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