The Ariel College Center of Samaria has been declared a university by the Council for Higher Education of Israel, despite strong criticism. The vote was 11 to 2. Ariel University will be Israel's eighth university.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Ariel Mayor Ron Nachman about the decision. Yisrael Beitenu and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman also welcomed the news.
Leftist organizations demonstrated today against the decision. "This is a decision with no academic rationale, only a political rationale to please political parties," Peace Now secretary general Yariv Openheimer told "Channel 2 News".
Yesterday, the heads of Israel's universities called on the Council for Higher Education not to declare Ariel College a university, because it would harm the budgets of the current universities. This was countered by heavy pressure from Minister of Education Gideon Sa'ar and Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz, who has already promised the new university NIS 50 million.
Two weeks ago, the Council for Higher Education's Planning and Budget Committee advised the council not to recognize Ariel College as a university, on the grounds that Israel does not need a new university, and the current universities should be strengthened.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 18, 2012
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012