BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY | THE WAY FORWARD

DONOR IMPACT ON NEGEV ENHANCEMENT AND COMMUNITY UPLIFT

BGU was founded with a government mandate to develop Israel’s southern region, an area that has long been underserved and has yet to reach its full potential. The University continues to be driven by the vision of its namesake, David Ben-Gurion who believed that the future of the country lay in the Negev. Thus, BGU’s responsibilities don’t end at the campus gates. The University continuously strives to advance the region through education, research, and initiatives dedicated to strengthening the Negev and the individuals and communities comprising it. We are pleased to highlight some of these initiatives to provide a snapshot of our efforts to enhance the Negev and uplift the community and the ways that donors further these efforts. PRISMA NEGEV: THE CORNERSTONE OF NEGEV ENHANCEMENT In the aftermath of October 7th, BGU renewed its commitment to its founding mandate to serve as a catalyst for the Negev’s development. Redoubling its efforts, BGU is taking steps to actively embed the University in the region’s development process, leveraging its expertise and research capabilities to rebuild the Negev and position it for continued advancement. The President’s Negev Strategy Office is the focal point for these efforts, and since its establishment, it has launched several initiatives, the most ambitious of which is Prisma Negev, which is dedicated to translating BGU’s Negev vision and commitment into coordinated impactful action. The mission of this strategic center for innovation and regional cooperation is to strengthen regional cooperation, promote high-impact projects, and support informed, data-driven decision-making at the regional level.

Prisma Negev focuses on eight core areas: economic development, education and reducing gaps, employment, society and social innovation, health and community well-being, civic and community resilience, technology and society, and tourism. Its applied arm, which includes a social impact incubator, operates through regional forums, pilot programs, professional training, and innovation labs that bring researchers, students, practitioners, and community leaders together to develop scalable models. The IMPACT Institute, the center’s research arm, promotes applied research with the potential for social, environmental, and organizational impact, with the aim of strengthening the professional infrastructure in the region and developing the data-based knowledge required to address regional challenges and support evidence-based policy making. Prisma Negev’s launch event in January 2026 brought dozens of stakeholders from local authorities, industry, academia, the IDF, and community organizations together at BGU. In parallel, Research Fest 2026 served as the launchpad for Prisma’s research arm. With the theme of “Research Makes an Impact,” Research Fest 2026 emphasized the role of research as a driving force for social, regional, and economic change, highlighting applied research with direct impact and utilizing the University-wide Research Fest platform to connect academic research with regional challenges and foster collaboration. The festival was accompanied by a call for proposals, and this year’s grants supported impact-oriented collaborations between BGU researchers and community entities (e.g., local authorities, civil society organizations) aimed at addressing regional challenges.

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