The Council for Higher Education approved Tel Hai Academic College as Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee, after a unanimous vote on Tuesday to grant the institution the status.
"The decision to approve the establishment of Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee is a central step in the process of restoring and strengthening the city of Kiryat Shmona," said Education Minister Yoav Kisch.
The main hurdle to establishing the university was Tel Hai's willingness to transfer its eastern campus to the Kiryat Shmona Municipality's jurisdiction, a move seen as key to the university's full integration into the city.
The Tel Hai Academic College will now receive provisional university status for the 2026 academic year, with a five-year trial to comply with the government's requirements. "At the end of this period, permanent recognition can be discussed, subject to compliance with the established goals and criteria," the authorities from the Education Minister explained.
"The Kiryat Shmona University will be a lever for regional development and creating an academic and economic future for the young people of the north, while strictly maintaining academic quality," said Kisch.
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"The university will focus on applied research and serve as a bridge between the highest level of academia and industry, community, and environment," said the management of Kiryat Shmona University in a statement.
"This project will attract thousands of students to the Galilee from all over the country and create new sources of employment around it, which will allow students to stay in the area and make their home there. We are not only establishing a new university in Kiryat Shmona, but we are also building the future of the north of the country."
The institution had to pass a comprehensive professional review, based on the recommendations of the Steering Committee and the Planning and Budgeting Committee, and after a series of prerequisites by the Education Ministry were implemented.
'Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee will be an anchor for academic, economic, and social growth, and will serve as a center of attraction for students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and families from all over the country," added the Kiryat Shmona municipality.
"The recognition of Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee is proof that persistence, regional partnership, and faith in the path bring results. This is a significant growth engine for the city, for young people, and for the next generation, and a cornerstone in building a strong and stable future in the Galilee," added the city's mayor, Avichai Stern.