Technion – Israel Institute of Technology facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Technion
Israel Institute of Technology

הטכניון – מכון טכנולוגי לישראל (Hebrew)
Former name	Technikum (1912–1914)
Type	Public technical research
Established	11 April 1912; 113 years ago (1912-04-11)
Endowment	US$2.25 billion
Budget	US$470 million
President	Uri Sivan
Students	13,703 (2014)
Undergraduates	9,251 (2014)
Postgraduates	3,435 (2014)
Doctoral students	1,004 (2014)
Location	Haifa , Israel 32°46′39″N 35°01′18″E / 32.77750°N 35.02167°E / 32.77750; 35.02167
Campus	Urban, 1,325 dunams (327 acres)
Colors	Navy and Gold
Affiliations	CESAER McDonnell International Scholars Academy EuroTech Universities
Location in Haifa region of Israel

The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology is a public research university located in Haifa, Israel. It was started in 1912 by Jewish people when the Ottoman Empire ruled the area. This makes Technion the oldest university in Israel.

The university offers many different degrees. You can study science, engineering, architecture, medicine, business management, and even education. Technion has 19 main departments, 60 research centers, and 12 hospitals where students can learn. Since it began, over 123,000 students have graduated. These graduates have helped build and protect the State of Israel.

Technion has many talented teachers, including three who have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Four Nobel Prize winners have been connected to the university in total. The current leader of Technion is Uri Sivan.

An important moment in Technion's history was choosing Hebrew as the teaching language. This decision, made during the "War of the Languages" where Hebrew won against German, helped make Hebrew Israel's official language. Technion is also a big reason why Israel's high-tech industry is so strong, especially in the area known as Silicon Wadi.

Technion's Story

Albert Einstein visiting Technion in 1923.

The idea for Technion began in the early 1900s. A German-Jewish group called Ezrah wanted to create a school for engineering and science. At that time, it was planned to be the only higher education school in Ottoman Palestine, besides an art school in Jerusalem.

In October 1913, the school's leaders decided that German would be the language for teaching. This caused a big argument called the War of the Languages. Many Jewish people from America and Russia did not want German to be used. So, in February 1914, the leaders changed their minds and chose Hebrew. The German name "Technikum" was also changed to the Hebrew name "Technion."

The first stone for Technion was laid in 1912, but classes didn't start until 1924. In 1923, famous scientist Albert Einstein visited. He planted a palm tree, starting a tradition for Nobel Prize winners. This first palm tree still stands today in front of the old Technion building. This building is now the MadaTech museum. Einstein also started the first Technion Society and led it when he returned to Germany.

In 1924, Arthur Blok became Technion's first president. In the 1950s, under the leadership of Yaakov Dori, Technion worked to bring Jewish scientists from other countries. They came to set up research labs and teaching departments for science.

Technion Campuses

The Churchill Auditorium.

The Obelisk, a tall stainless-steel moving sculpture.

Haifa Campus

"Technion City" is the main campus. It covers about 1.2 square kilometers on the pine-covered slopes of Mount Carmel. There are over 300 buildings on this campus.

Technion also has two other campuses in Haifa. Its first building, used until the 1980s, is now the Israel National Museum of Science, Technology, and Space. The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine is located near Rambam Hospital, which is the biggest medical center in Northern Israel.

Students at the main campus can enjoy many fun activities. There's an Olympic-size swimming pool, and places for gymnastics, squash, and tennis. The Technion Symphony Orchestra and Choir are made up mostly of students and staff. They perform concerts regularly. Movies and live shows by famous Israeli artists also happen often on campus.

In April 2022, a cable car station opened at the main campus. This cable car, called the Rakvalit, connects Technion to Haifa University and to the main bus station at the bottom of Mount Carmel.

Tel Aviv Campus

Technion has had a learning center in the Tel Aviv area since 1958. In 2013, it moved to a new campus in Sarona. This campus has three buildings with 16 modern classrooms. Programs like Technion's International MBA, which has students from all over the world, are taught here.

Cornell Tech in New York

In 2011, Technion teamed up with Cornell University to create a new science and engineering school in New York City. This was part of a plan by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to boost technology jobs. The new school is called the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute. It has a modern campus on Roosevelt Island.

Guangdong Technion Israel Institute of Technology

In 2013, the Li Ka Shing Foundation and Technion announced they would build a new technology institute in China. This institute is in Shantou University, Guangdong province. The Li Ka Shing Foundation gave a large amount of money to help create it. The degrees offered, from Bachelor's to PhDs, are approved by Technion. English is the teaching language. The goal is to have about 5,000 students.

Departments of Study

Aerospace Engineering

The Aerospace Faculty building at Technion.

Started in 1954, this department teaches and researches many areas of aerospace. It has labs for wind tunnels, structures, rocket engines, and flight control.

Architecture and Town Planning

This department offers degrees in architecture and landscape architecture. It also has programs for industrial design and city planning. About 100 students join the undergraduate programs each year.

Biology

The Biology department started in 1971. Its 23 research groups study different parts of cells, molecules, and how living things develop. They often work with companies that make medicines and biotechnology.

Biomedical Engineering

This department began in 1968. It combines medical and biological engineering. Their research has led to new medical tools. For example, they found a way for paralyzed people to "speak" using their brains connected to a computer.

Biotechnology and Food Engineering

This department is special in Israel. It teaches engineering, life sciences, and natural sciences. It has biotechnology labs, a food processing plant, and a packaging lab.

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty building.

In 2002, two older Technion departments, Civil and Agricultural engineering, joined to form this one. It is also home to Technion's International School of Engineering.

Chemical Engineering

This is Israel's oldest and largest chemical engineering department. It trains most of the chemical engineers in Israel. They research materials, fluids, and how things are processed.

Chemistry

The Chemistry department offers many joint programs with other fields like materials engineering and physics. It also has a program with Biology for a degree in molecular biochemistry. Many research projects here are supported by companies and foundations.

The Coastal and Marine Engineering Research Institute Building.

Coastal and Marine Engineering Research Institute (CAMERI)

This institute is shared by Technion and The Israeli Ports Company. It is the main research center in Israel for studying oceans, marine engineering, and coastal engineering. It has two large research facilities with wave pools.

Computer Science

The Computer Science Faculty Building.

Started in 1969, this is one of Technion's biggest departments. It has over 1,800 undergraduate students. The department is known for being highly ranked among computer science programs worldwide.

Education in Technology and Science

This department trains students in the best ways to teach science and technology in schools. It also has a research center for this field. Many engineers and scientists who want to become teachers study here.

Electrical Engineering

A view towards the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Building.

The Electrical Engineering department is a major source of engineers who develop advanced technology in Israel. This includes electronics, computers, and communications. It works closely with many industries.

Humanities and Arts

This department offers courses for all Technion students. You can study philosophy, social sciences, psychology, law, and many types of art.

The Technion Theater started in 1986. It teaches 8 courses and has about 150 students each semester. The theater has put on many plays, including some written by students and the director. It has also been invited to festivals at universities in Europe.

Industrial Engineering and Management

The Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Management.

This is the oldest department of its kind in Israel. It started in 1958. The idea was to combine industrial engineering with management. This means it covers many areas like engineering, math, economics, and statistics.

Materials Science and Engineering

This department is Israel's main center for studying materials science. Dan Shechtman, a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, teaches here. The department has advanced labs for studying materials at a very small scale.

Mathematics

The Faculty of Mathematics building.

The Mathematics department teaches both pure and applied math. It was once home to the famous mathematician Paul Erdős. It also helps students in other Technion departments and runs math competitions for talented high school students.

Mechanical Engineering

Started in 1948, this department has over 830 students. Research is done in 36 labs, covering everything from tiny nano-scale fields to large national engineering projects.

Medicine

The Technion Faculty of Medicine building.

The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine has two Nobel Laureates: Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover. It is one of four medical schools in Israel. It focuses on basic science research and medical training. The campus has labs, a library, and lecture halls. Students can earn Master's, PhD, and M.D. degrees. The school also works with other famous universities like Harvard and Johns Hopkins.

Physics

The Physics department does research in areas like space, high energy physics, and biophysics. It includes several important physics buildings and institutes.

Special Research Centers

Nanotechnology and Science

The Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute (RBNI) started in 2005. It is a joint effort by the Russell Berrie Foundation, the Israeli government, and Technion. It is one of the biggest nanotechnology centers in Europe and the US. Over 110 teachers and 300 students work here, covering 14 different departments.

Energy Research

The GTEP Nancy and Stephen Grand Technion Energy Program is a special center that brings together Technion's best researchers in energy. It started in 2007. GTEP focuses on finding new fuels, renewable energy, energy storage, and saving energy. It is the only center in Israel that offers advanced degrees in energy science.

Space Research

The Norman and Helen Asher Space Research Institute (ASRI) is a special institute for science research. It began in 1984. Its members come from five Technion departments, and they work on many space-related topics.

Technion International

Technion International (TI) is a special department at Technion. It offers courses taught completely in English. TI started in 2009. It now offers full Bachelor's degrees in Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, as well as study abroad programs. Students from all over the world come to TI. They live on campus and enjoy trips and activities throughout the year.

Connecting with the World

Technion has an office called T³ – Technion Technology Transfer. It helps turn scientific discoveries into successful new products and companies. As of 2011, Technion had 424 patents for its inventions. T³ works with many partners, including big companies like Microsoft, IBM, and Intel.

Technion also offers after-school and summer programs for young people. These programs teach subjects like electronics, computer programming, aerospace, and chemistry.

Technion helped start the Israeli chapter of Engineers Without Borders. This group works on projects like installing biogas systems in rural Nepal to provide clean energy and improve sanitation.

Technion supports students from different groups, including Haredim and Arabs, with scholarships and programs. Technion is a main sponsor of the Israeli league of the FIRST robotics competition. About 20% of Technion's students are Arab, which is similar to the percentage of Arab people in Israel.

Technion has also partnered with Technische Universität Darmstadt in Germany for cyber security and materials science. It also works with Washington University in St. Louis through a special scholars program.

Rankings and Reputation

Technion is often called "Israel's MIT" because it is so well-known for its math and science programs.

As of June 2023, Technion is ranked 83rd worldwide by ARWU 2022. It is 392nd worldwide in the QS World University Rankings 2024. Technion is also ranked among the top universities by other global rankings.

In 2012, the magazine Business Insider named Technion one of the top 25 engineering schools in the world. In 2013, Technion was the only school outside the United States to be in the top 10 on a Bloomberg Rankings list. This list showed schools whose graduates become CEOs of top U.S. tech companies.

Cool Discoveries and Research

The chemical structure of Rasagline.

• In 1982, Dan Shechtman discovered a Quasicrystal structure. This was a new type of crystal that scientists thought was impossible. In 2011, he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this amazing discovery.
• In 2004, two Technion professors, Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover, won the Nobel Prize. They discovered how cells break down proteins, which is very important for understanding how our bodies work.
• Shulamit Levenberg was recognized by Scientific American magazine in 2006. She found a way to transplant skin so the body doesn't reject it.
• Moussa B.H. Youdim helped develop Rasagiline. This medicine is used to treat diseases like Parkinson's disease.
• In 1998, Technion successfully launched a small satellite called "Gurwin TechSat II." This made Technion one of only five universities where students design, build, and launch their own satellites. The satellite stayed in space until 2010.
• In the 1970s, computer scientists Abraham Lempel and Jacob Ziv created the Lempel-Ziv-Welch algorithm. This is a way to compress data, making files smaller. They won awards for this important work.
• In 2019, a team of 12 students won a gold medal at the iGEM for creating honey without using bees!

Library System

A front view of the Elyachar Central Library.

The Technion library system has the Elyachar Central Library and smaller research libraries in each department building. The Central Library sets the rules and provides services for all Technion libraries. This includes managing books, online systems, and borrowing books from other libraries.

The smaller libraries focus on what their students and teachers need. They are changing from traditional libraries to "learning commons." This means they are looking at their collections to decide which books to keep, which to save, which to put in storage, and which to remove.

The Technion ecological garden.

Nobel Prize Winners and Famous People

Nobel Prize Winners

• 2004 Avram Hershko, Chemistry
• 2004 Aaron Ciechanover, Chemistry
• 2011 Dan Shechtman, Chemistry
• 2013 Arieh Warshel, Chemistry

Some Famous Teachers

• Moshe Arens, taught aeronautics.
• Eli Biham, expert in breaking codes.
• Yaakov Dori, former President of Technion.
• Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2004.
• Abraham Lempel and Jacob Ziv, created a famous data compression method.
• Liviu Librescu, a hero during the Virginia Tech shooting.
• Asher Peres, helped discover quantum teleportation.
• Nathan Rosen, worked with Albert Einstein on quantum mechanics.
• Rachel Shalon, the first woman engineer in Israel.
• Dan Shechtman, discovered quasicrystals and won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2011.

Some Famous Graduates

Many Technion graduates have become leaders in Israel's high-tech industry. It's estimated that over 70% of the founders and managers of high-tech businesses in Israel are Technion graduates.

• Shai Agassi – started the company Better Place.
• Andrei Broder – helped create CAPTCHA and worked at Yahoo.
• Yaron Brook – president of the Ayn Rand Institute.
• Danny Cohen - helped develop the Internet.
• Haim Eshed – former director of space programs for Israel's Ministry of Defense.
• Andi Gutmans – helped create the PHP programming language.
• Daniel M. Lewin – co-founder of Akamai, sadly died in the 9/11 attacks.
• Dov Moran – invented the USB flash drive.
• Neri Oxman – architect and designer who teaches at MIT.
• Guillermo Sapiro – contributed to Adobe software like Photoshop.
• Johny Srouji – Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies at Apple Inc.
• Arieh Warshel – chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2013.
• Yossi Vardi – helped start over 60 high-tech companies.

See also

In Spanish: Technion para niños

• List of universities in Israel
• Science and technology in Israel
• Education in Israel