BGU | PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2026

54

BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV

Cohort IV of the Halutz Initiative for Global Leadership at Sde Boker. May 2025 Ben-Gurion University Foundation UK event featuring Noa Argamani at St. John’s Wood Synagogue, London. March 2026. Photo: Yoav Picherski

GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS Our global engagement remained strong throughout the year as we deepened relationships with friends and supporters around the world. Associates organizations held galas celebrating BGU in New York, Toronto, Paris, Buenos Aires, and Geneva, alongside screenings of the film Who Are the Marcuses? , panel discussions, and fundraisers with BGU leadership, students, and researchers. The events brought together longtime supporters and new partners united by a shared commitment to the future of the Negev. I am particularly pleased to report the launch of BGU Germany and a growth in activities in Latin and South America and South Africa, creating additional opportunities to share BGU’s story with diverse communities. The Global Development Committee’s semi-annual meeting was held in Paris in November 2025. Part of the meeting was devoted to learning about the challenges facing the French Jewish community and getting to know the new leadership of BGU France, while exploring new opportunities for collaboration and engagement.

The progress achieved this year is a testimony to the continued momentum of the Way Forward Global Campaign , the University’s historic 10-year $1 billion initiative supporting research excellence, student opportunity, and the continued development of the Negev. Support for the University continues to come from a truly global network of partners and friends – some 12,000 donors have contributed to the campaign since October 2020. Remarkably, nearly half of the gifts (representing approximately 10% of the total amount raised) came from first-time donors.

$600.9 TOTAL RAISED TO DATE*

MILLION

$1 BILLION GOAL

* March 2026 figures.