Events

Embracing New Immigrants: HIT's President Meets with Zeev Elkin, Minister of Immigrant Absorption

  
Prof. Eduard Yakubov, President of HIT, and Mr. Amnon Cohen, special project manager at HIT, met with the Minister of Immigrant Absorption, Mr. Zeev Elkin, and discussed with him steps towards absorbing immigrant students and scientists at HIT – Holon Institute of Technology.
 
Minister's meeting with the President of HIT and special project manager at HIT
From right to left: Prof. Eduard Yakubov- President of HIT, Mr. Zeev Elkin - the Minister of Immigrant Absorption and Mr. Amnon Cohen- special project manager at HIT
 
On October 22, 2015 a meeting was held in the office of Minister Zeev Elkin in Jerusalem, with the participation of Prof. Eduard Yakubov, President of HIT, and Mr. Amnon Cohen, special proejct manager at HIT.

During the meeting, the Minister was shown a unique, detailed plan for the absorption of new immigrant students at HIT – Holon Institute of Technology. HIT's President, Prof. Eduard Yakubov, spoke about the great importance of caring for these students, especially in their first academic year, so that their entire period of study at HIT be successful. Thus, for example, part of the plan is to absorb immigrant students from South America, Ukraine and France, allowing them to study during their first year in their native language. Starting from the second year, when their Hebrew is better, they will take courses in Hebrew. In addition, the Minister was shown the extensive activities already taking place at HIT to integrate Ethiopian-born students into academic activities, as well as a plan for continuing this important project.
 
HIT's President, Prof. Eduard Yakubov, and Mr. Amnon Cohen, special project manager at HIT, appealed for the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption's assistance in directing immigrant students towards technological academic institutions. During the meeting, they discussed how the shortage of engineers and computer specialists could undermine the present achievements of Israeli industry, intelligence agencies and security. They noted that one way of dealing with this problem is by attracting students who have recently immigrated to Israel to technological and engineering subjects, by providing financial assistance and an enlarged array of incentives for immigrant students who choose technological academic studies.
 
Another topic of conversation during the meeting was absorbing immigrating scientists. In a spirit of national dedication, HIT has done its best to absorb immigrating scientists, and will continue to do so, collaborating with the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, in the coming years.
Finally, the 'Masa' program, which is a joint program of the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency, was discussed at the meeting. The program was founded in 2004 to encourage Jewish youth from around the world to stay in Israel for periods between a semester and a year. HIT's President, Prof. Eduard Yakubov, expressed his desire to revitalize the collaboration between this program and HIT.

At the end of the meeting, HIT's President invited the Minister to honor with his attendance one of HIT's events. Zeev Elkin, Minister of Immigrant Absorption, responded affirmatively to this invitation.