Afeka Academic College of Engineering in Tel Aviv has launched a campaign to raise NIS 15 million ($4 million) for a student support fund which aims to ensure that its graduates continue to make essential contributions Israel's high-tech sector, given what the college describes as the unprecedented importance of the field of engineering since the October 7 attacks.
The launch of Afeka's "AsOne" campaign comes after more than 40% of the college's student body – approximately 1,400 students – were called up for active military duty just one week before the wartime academic year was scheduled to start. Faced with such a large portion of its student body unable to attend classes, Afeka needed to delay the opening of the school year three times.
"There was great uncertainty over how long the conflict would last, how many of our students would continue serving and for how long," Prof. Ami Moyal, President of Afeka College, says. "We were contending with missile attacks in our area, and there were restrictions on how many people could be on campus simultaneously."
Afeka responded by developing a comprehensive support package to address the diverse needs of its students during a challenging time. This included offering all classes in a synchronous hybrid model with recordings, so students could attend remotely from wherever they were stationed or catch up on missed lectures.
"Our main goal was to enable all students to complete the academic year successfully on time," Moyal said. "However, our overriding concern was preventing dropouts, which could severely impact the students' futures, the nation's skilled workforce, and the college's own sustainability. Maximum flexibility to allow students to continue their studies as seamlessly as possible was crucial."
The college also provided students with personalized academic assistance, including advising, mentoring, private and group tutoring sessions, and time-condensed course options. "Overall, we tried to be as flexible as possible in addressing individual situations or common circumstances on a case-by-case basis, making every effort to ensuring no student fell too far behind academically due to their circumstances from the war was the top priority," said Moyal.
Beyond supporting its own students, Afeka has strived to bolster Israel's post-war recovery at a time when the need for engineers is more vital than ever. "Engineers have always been instrumental in shaping Israel's future as the 'Start-Up Nation,' whose economy is largely technology-driven," Moyal explained. "Looking ahead, our future economy will become even more heavily reliant on STEM fields."
He noted that at their core, engineers are problem-solvers whose work is often focused on developing life-changing and life-saving innovations that can tackle major challenges facing society. Accordingly, engineers will be critical in moving Israel forward from the tragic events of October 7. In fact, Moyal pointed to the "considerable gap between the number of skilled engineers Israel needs and the number of new engineers graduating and entering the workforce each year" prior to the Hamas attacks and the Iron Swords War.
"This lack of engineering talent risks undermining our competitive advantage when it comes to human capital, ingenuity, and innovation as a nation," he said. "Failing to maintain a robust pipeline of engineers could be deeply damaging for our future economy. Post-war, preserving and building upon our engineering workforce and technological capabilities will take on even greater importance. Engineers will be essential for fortifying our national security, rebuilding damaged infrastructures, and keeping Israel's spirit of entrepreneurship and problem-solving resilient during these difficult times."
Afeka kickstarted its student support fund with an initial commitment of NIS 5 million ($1.35 million) from its internal resources, while receiving some financial support from the Israeli government and the school's existing donors before expanding the effort into a campaign that appeals to the broader Jewish community abroad.
"Maintaining access to higher education and preventing significant disruptions is critically important not just for the students themselves, but for Israel's future," Moyal asserted. "With such a large portion of our students being directly impacted, additional support will be needed to ensure we can provide comprehensive academic, financial, and personal assistance."
He added, "Ultimately, the mindset and skillset of engineers – their ability to analyze complex challenges and create innovative solutions – will be absolutely pivotal for ensuring Israel can rebound stronger than before and continue flourishing as a global leader across multiple sectors and industries. Nurturing the next generation of top engineering minds must be a key priority."
