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Photos
courtesy of the Weizmann Institute of Science |
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As at universities all over the world, advancement in scientific knowledge is
the chief objective of researchers at Israel's universities. Books and journal
articles by Israelis, encompassing all scientific fields, are a primary
expression of the university sector’s output. Israel publishes a
disproportionate percentage (about 1 percent) of the world's scientific
publications, and in many fields, such as chemistry and computer sciences, they
have a particularly high impact on the world scientific community.
Relative to the size of its labor force, Israel has a significantly larger
number of publishing authors in the natural sciences, engineering, agriculture,
and medicine than other countries, and an exceptionally high share of the
country's publications are co-authored by Israeli scientists and those of other
countries.
To integrate Israeli science into the international scientific community,
post-doctoral research positions and sabbaticals abroad as well as attendance at
foreign scientific conferences are encouraged, and a wide range of exchange
programs and joint projects are maintained at institute, university, and
government levels with counterpart organizations overseas. Israel is also an
important center for international scientific conferences, hosting many such
gatherings annually.
Concomitant with their scientific research activities, the universities
continue to play an important and innovative role in Israel’s technological
advancement. The Weizmann Institute of Science was among the first in the world
to set up an organization for the commercial utilization of its research (1958);
today, similar organizations exist at all Israeli universities. The
establishment of sciencebased industrial parks adjacent to university campuses
has been pioneered with great commercial success. Universities have also set up
spin-off industrial firms for the commercialization of specific products based
on their research, often in partnership with local and foreign concerns.
Interdisciplinary research and testing institutes are functioning at
universities in diverse scientific and technological fields vital to the
country's industry, serving areas such as construction, transportation, and
education as national focal points for applied R&D. In addition, a high
proportion of faculty serve industry in an advisory capacity on technical,
administrative, financial, and managerial matters.
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