BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY | THE WAY FORWARD

BGU Radio also serves as a bridge between both BGU students and Negev citizens and the diverse communities of the Negev and beyond. It fosters dialogue and connections between people who share common interests or wish to broaden their horizons by being exposed to different perspectives. In addition, BGU Radio has pioneered the integration of podcasting into the educational fabric and cultural life of the University, developing a new teaching modality based on podcast production which is incorporated in dozens of courses and running three popular academic courses. These are just a few of the many ways in which BGU Radio enriches the student experience. BGRacing One-third of Israel’s engineers are BGU graduates. The University provides them with a top-notch education delivered by faculty members who are leaders in their fields. While our students have the opportunity to work alongside these researchers in their labs, BGU also provides unique hands-on experiences to these budding engineers, equipping them with the skills and tools needed to succeed in their careers. BGRacing is a life-changing experience for these future engineers, but the program’s success rests on the participation of students across the disciplines at BGU. BGRacing brings students from engineering to management, computer science, and even nursing together in pursuit of a shared goal – designing and building a Formula SAE race car. Since its founding in 2006, BGRacing has led the way in Israeli motorsports engineering, growing from a team of just 40 into a powerhouse of 100 students who pool their expertise to achieve this goal. The experience of working together to apply theoretical knowledge acquired in their courses in a real-life engineering project demanding technical, marketing, teamwork, time management, and financial skills, as well as engineering expertise, and culminating in the production of a fully functioning vehicle, is unlike any other. But the project doesn’t end there, as upon the race car’s completion, the team hits the road, participating in international competitions with hundreds of global competitors, an experience which provides

students with a tremendous sense of pride and achievement. Over the years, BGRacing’s ability to grow and innovate, expanding from a small team of students in its early years to the robust and vibrant team it is today, equipped with the skills and expertise required to build both combustion vehicles and electric autonomous vehicles, was made possible by generous donors who understand the value of this project, which builds minds, as well as cars. BGRacing is much more than an engineering platform. Entirely student-run, it is a leadership and educational incubator. The challenges faced are similar to real industry challenges; students face deadlines, shipping delays, and human resources shortages (for example, when many members of the team were performing reserve duty), and in the program they learn to solve all of these problems and more to achieve their goal. This proves to be advantageous, as the program’s graduates enter the job market with significant practical experience, which in most cases takes years to gain and cannot be learned in the classroom. The team has had many successes. In its first Formula SAE competition in 2011 it earned first place among new teams, and more recently, it reached another important milestone, becoming the first Israeli Formula student car to compete in all divisions of the competition in 2022. But, BGRacing doesn’t just have winning in mind – it is also committed to the broader mission of societal impact and hosts educational visits by diverse student groups, introducing them to the worlds of engineering, teamwork, and innovation. The donor-supported Engines Forward program exposes youth from the southern region to engineering and technology, equipping them with the skills required to build and operate a small car of their own. International Competitions Participation in prestigious international conferences like the John Molsen International MBA Case Competition markedly enhances the student experience, and donors make this possible, enabling students to compete against peers in Canada. The ability to take part in

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