BGU | PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2026

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PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2026

SPOTLIGHT ON

THE BGU EILAT

CAMPUS

contingent on matching funds, marking an important milestone for the initiative. Planning is well underway for the construction of wet laboratories and specialized facilities for the new research teams, while Building 2 will undergo major renovation to serve as offices for researchers and students. In parallel, shared campus infrastructure, including air conditioning and electricity, is being upgraded to support the new center. Work is also underway on a new academic program to be taught at the center, to be submitted for approval in the coming months. Progress is being made on the development of new student dormitories , a project of the highest priority. Although there are 410 enrolled students on campus, current dorm capacity is just 72 beds, limiting our plans to bring more students to Eilat. The project outline has been completed and a project management company selected, with a tender underway to select the architect for the engineering design. The plan calls for two dormitory buildings, with funding secured for the first. Additional infrastructure improvements already completed include the renovation of a mini-auditorium and other classrooms, a new student learning space, an art studio, upgraded classroom multimedia and computing systems, and the replacement of the central air-conditioning system in Building 5. The campus continues to expand its academic offerings, with a pathway to nursing program that will open in the next academic year, and a master’s program in Health Systems Management. We are also offering a new non academic course in cybersecurity. Alongside these developments, the Eilat campus continues to foster community engagement through outreach activities such as candle-lighting events with Holocaust survivors, tree plantings, and public lectures.

23 students, including 10 students from Mexico, took part in a week-long intensive reef preservation and restoration course held at BGU’s Eilat campus in Nov. 2025. Photo: courtesy

Ben-Gurion University’s Eilat campus is making significant strides towards becoming a hub for marine research and education, alongside continued investment in developing academic programs, infrastructure, and student life. At the heart of this momentum is the establishment of the Center for Sea Technology , a flagship teaching and research initiative that is steadily taking shape. Two new researchers, Dr. Tal Gordon and Prof. Gidon Winters, joined the campus’ faculty, and recruitment is underway for three additional researchers expected to join in the next two years. The marine biology program has also expanded, and beginning in the 2026–27 academic year, second-year students will study at the Eilat campus alongside third-year students. The Center recently secured NIS 6.8 million in support from the Council for Higher Education’s Planning and Budgeting Committee,