Ben-Gurion University of the Negev facts for kids
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אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב (Hebrew)
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Former name
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University of the Negev |
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| Motto | השראה פוגשת מצוינות (Hebrew) |
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Motto in English
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Inspiration Meets Excellence |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1969 |
| Endowment | $424 million |
| Budget | $466 million |
| President | Daniel Chamovitz |
| Rector | Chaim Hames |
| Senior faculty | 873 |
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Administrative staff
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1,155 |
| Students | 18,357 |
| Undergraduates | 12,169 |
| Postgraduates | 4,292 |
| 1,311 | |
| Location |
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Israel
31°15′43.89″N 34°48′5.44″E / 31.2621917°N 34.8015111°E |
| Colors | Orange, Black, and White |
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Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) is a big public university in Beersheba, Israel. It is also a research university, meaning it focuses on new discoveries.
The university is named after David Ben-Gurion, who helped start Israel. It began in 1969 and now has five locations, or campuses. Three are in Beersheba, one in Sede Boqer, and one in Eilat.
About 20,000 students go to BGU. The university has special places for research. These include the National Institute for Biotechnology and the Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science. They also study the desert at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research. The Ben-Gurion Research Institute studies Israel's history.
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History of Ben-Gurion University
BGU started in 1969. It was first called the University of the Negev. The main goal was to help the Negev desert grow and develop. The Negev desert makes up more than 60% of Israel.
Later, the university was renamed after David Ben-Gurion. He was Israel's first prime minister. Ben-Gurion believed that the future of Israel was in the Negev region. After he passed away in 1973, the university was officially named Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Many important people have led the university over the years. Daniel Chamovitz has been the president since 2019. In 2016, Dr. Howard and Lottie Marcus gave a huge gift of about US$400 million to the university. This was the largest gift ever given to an Israeli university. This money helped the university's funds grow a lot.
Academics at BGU
University Rankings Explained
University rankings show how a university compares to others around the world. These rankings look at things like teaching quality, research, and how many international students attend.
In 2016, BGU was ranked 320th in the world by QS World University Rankings. It was also 70th in Asia and 4th in Israel. BGU was also ranked 31st among "Top 50 Under 50" universities. This means it was one of the best young universities in the world. For four years in a row, BGU was ranked between 101st and 150th globally for computer science.
What Students Can Study
Ben-Gurion University has five main areas of study, called faculties. These include:
- Engineering Sciences
- Health Sciences
- Natural Sciences
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- Business and Management
The university also has seven schools for more specialized learning. These include the Kreitman School for advanced studies and the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School. There are also schools for pharmacy and brain sciences.
BGU has eight research institutes where scientists work on new discoveries. Some of these are the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research and the Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science.
In 2024, the university started a new medical program. It helps new immigrants to Israel become doctors. This program helps with the shortage of doctors in the country.
The Computer Science program at BGU began in 1978. It was one of the first in Israel to teach Pascal and use computer terminals. This program grew into its own department.
Medical School for International Health (MSIH)
The Medical School for International Health (MSIH) is a special program. It teaches students to be doctors with a focus on global health. This means they learn about health issues around the world.
MSIH is a four-year medical school. It is taught in English. It is a partnership between Ben-Gurion University and Columbia University Irving Medical Center in the United States. The school is located in Beersheba, Israel.
Each year, more than 30 students join MSIH. Most students come from the United States and Canada. In October 2018, MSIH celebrated 20 years of teaching. In October 2019, students in the Class of 2023 received their first white coats. This is a special tradition for medical students.
Research Centers and Programs
BGU has many research centers that bring together different fields of study. There are 61 such centers. Some examples include:
- The S. Daniel Abraham International Center for Health and Nutrition
- The Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center, which studies solar power
- The Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, which studies the brain
International Programs for Students
BGU International works to offer more programs for students from other countries. These programs are taught in English. Some of these include:
- The Albert Katz International School of Desert Studies
- The Medical School for International Health (MSIH)
- Masters programs in Israel Studies and African Sustainable Communities
- MBA International Program
- Summer programs and study abroad options
Students from nearly 70 different countries come to study at BGU.
Notable People from BGU
See also
In Spanish: Universidad Ben-Gurión del Néguev para niños
- List of universities in Israel
- Education in Israel
