“Bar-Ilan is a critical part of the answer to the challenges Israel—and Jews everywhere—face.”
—Prof. Arie Zaban, President of Bar-Ilan University
Year at a Glance
ERC grants
the Jewish-
foundations
curriculum
Excellence
A commitment to the highest quality
Research that
Drives Progress
Our rate of research-grant growth increased by 37% between 2017-2025, placing us second among Israel’s universities. (According to data from the Council for Higher Education.)
Our funding from the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) nearly doubled in the past three years. As Israel’s main source of competitive grants for basic research, ISF provides funding based on indicators of scientific excellence.
Best in Class
Educational Innovation
Lamda, our online learning-management system, is a centralized hub for course materials, assignments, and grades, enabling faculty to support remote learning, communicate regularly with students, and foster engagement through interactive learning activities.
+50%
The number of users jumped by 50% in two years, the result of strategic improvements to the system as a whole and its individual course sites.
X2
The number of recorded-lecture downloads nearly doubled in the last two years, allowing reservists and others affected by the war to pursue their studies remotely and maintain their academic standing.
+40%
The increase in the Lamda-course quality index of nearly 40% reflects a continuous process of implementing new standards, soliciting faculty feedback and guidance, and data-based decision-making.
Degrees that Work
Academia 360, a new initiative of the Learning and Teaching Division, aligns today’s university degrees with tomorrow’s workplace and societal needs. Supported by an $11 million grant from the Council for Higher Education, and designed with input from graduates and potential employers, the initiative’s revamped degree programs impart the knowledge, skills, and values essential to influential citizenship.
The Brightest Minds
The amount and quality of applicants increased significantly, requiring us to admit a more limited number of candidates
Excellence Programs
Public Service Leaders
Political Science
Ilanot
Office of the Vice Rector
Leaders of Tomorrow
Office of the Vice Rector
Visionary Leaders
Optometry
Cramim
Jewish Studies
Impact
Faculty of Law
Maalot
Computer Science
Zukim
Computer Science
1v
Brain Science
EIP
Engineering
Nadav
Engineering
Club 700
Engineering
A Culture of Distinction
The IDF Medical Corps shared its 2025 Minister of Defense Award with the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine. The corps bestowed certificates of appreciation for the faculty’s crowdfunding campaign for lifesaving point-of-care ultrasounds, as well as for faculty initiatives to treat soldiers with traumatic injuries using innovative techniques.
Bar-Ilan was one of just 20 recipients of the 2025 Minister of Defense Award, selected by reservists from among more than 700 organizations. The award recognized our “Academic Armor” program, which provided reservists with scholarships, tools for personalized education, and psychological support, as well as the extraordinary dedication of our faculty and staff.
26% of students received Academic Armor support, including reservists, reservists’ spouses, injured veterans, evacuees, and members of Israel’s security services.
33% of students on the Dean’s List were reservists. The Dean’s List recognizes students with the highest grades during the academic year.
27% of students on the Rector’s List were reservists. The Rector’s List recognizes undergraduates who achieve the highest grades during the academic year.
Recognizing Excellence
Prof. Shulamit Michaeli of the Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences was selected as the 2026 recipient of the Israel Prize in Life Sciences Research for her work in RNA biology in parasites.
Prof. Erez Levanon of the Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, together with scientists from Germany’s University of Tübingen, received an ERC grant to develop RNA-based medicines for liver disease.
Prof. Liat Ayalon of the Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work received an ERC grant for her evidence-based strategies for battling ageism in health systems, the media, and the workplace.
Reach
A Global Brand and Network
School of Choice
We are the second-largest Israeli university, thanks to a 30% increase in our student body since 2017.
Creating a Global Footprint
We cooperate with academic institutions in 35 different countries.
A Draw for Top Talent
Increasing numbers of new recruits hail from some of the world’s leading universities.
The size of our faculty has steadily increased, hitting a record number of new faculty members last year.
Eight faculty recruits received prestigious awards for exceptional research achievement and potential. They include the Alon Scholarship, the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Scholarship, and the Israel Science Foundation Beresheet Grant.
A Partner to Industry
We secure an average of almost 18% more funding per STEM researcher from government agencies than other Israeli universities.
Bars show (left to right): Hebrew U., Technion, Tel Aviv U., Bar-Ilan University, Ben-Gurion U., Weizmann
Elevating through Entrepreneurship
Our venture studio UnBox, a partnership of Mivtach Shamir Holdings, provides researchers with pre-seed funding and comprehensive guidance, so they can find their inner leaders and solve society’s challenges.
A Global
Jewish Discourse
The new MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) “Rabbi Sacks: A Window to Jewish Thought”, produced by the Jonathan Sacks Institute together with the Learning and Teaching Division, will engage hundreds of students each year with the legendary theologian and thinker’s ideas, while also introducing his philosophy to Jews and non-Jews around the world. The MOOC was supported by a generous gift from the Mordecai z”l and Monique Katz Family Foundation.
total views when combined with “Jerusalem: A Journey Through Time”, the other new MOOC supported by the Katz family
Capacity
A strong foundation for impact
Institutional Stability
Room to Grow
We grew by more than 110 sq. m. over the last decade
Five major construction projects are underway at Bar-Ilan.
We renovated nearly 60K sq. m. on our Ramat Gan and Safed campuses.
+9K sq. m.
of classroom space
+11K sq. m.
of research and teaching labs
+32K sq. m.
of offices and public spaces
+6K sq. m.
of library and study space
Technological Backbone
2017
Bar-Ilan is the first Israeli university to transition to a digital student-administration system, Ilanet
2018
Launch of a campus-wide cloud-migration strategy for digital infrastructure, including email
2020
Launch of a new website and dramatic growth in site traffic and unique visitors
2020
Launch of Bar-Ilan’s online examination system, Tomax, which now allows for remote testing
2021
Launch of My Bar-Ilan, a portal for faculty and student services
2021
Migration of learning infrastructure to the cloud
2022
Implementation of an RPA system to automate repetitive processes
2022
Migration of the website to the cloud
2023
Digitization of administrative processes and forms
2023
Establishment of an advanced research-supporting Data Center with a unified infrastructure
2025
Transition from Bar-net to Ananet, an advanced infrastructure for procurement
~130
hybrid classrooms (up from zero in 2020)
8,000
Wi-Fi users supported on campus daily, up from just 1,000 five years ago
Human Capital
Sunflower – The University Resilience Center coordinates initiatives that promote a culture of recovery, both on campus and throughout Israeli society.
17
faculty support-service liaisons
27
resilience-training workshops for faculty
˜400
students received a support service
17
initiatives directed or supported
9
study days and conferences organized
˜2,000
students participated in an initiative
37%
female faculty
72%
female deans
40%
female C-level
executives
42%
female senate
members
7,000
staff members participated in 25 different leadership seminars, training workshops, and community-building events since 2017, turning our administration into a source of innovation and resilience.
Connecting an Innovation Ecosystem
The forthcoming light rail and underground metro will leverage the proximity between Bar-Ilan, Sheba Medical Center, and the Ramat Gan Municipality for more knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation in multiple fields.
540,000 est. travelers on the underground metro’s M2 line per day
256,000 est. travelers on the light rail’s Purple Line per day
68 stops altogether, including Tel Aviv’s Azrieli Center, Bar-Ilan University, Sheba Medical Center, Hahagana Railway Station and Petah Tikvah’s Segula Industrial Park
Society
A values-driven approach
A Third Mission
Our commitment to timeless Jewish values and the Zionist enterprise is a source of inspiration, spurring action and innovation for our country, our people, and all humanity.
10,047
students took one of 420 courses in Olamot (“Worlds”), our mandatory curriculum in fundamental Jewish texts and concepts
366
new courses added to Olamot since 2022, part of an in-depth process of revitalizing and expanding our Jewish studies offerings
More than 500 olim (Jewish immigrants) from around the world studied at Bar-Ilan last year.
A Vital Investment
of scholarship requests were granted
NIS 8,600,000
were distributed in scholarships to reservists, students affected by the war, and students with demonstrated need
32 scholarships
totaling NIS 1 million were awarded by the Moshal Program, which supports students from socio-economically challenged backgrounds
A Debt of Gratitude
Project Shalom for Rehabilitation, Academic Guidance, and Mentorship grants wounded veterans of the Iron Swords War both hope and a new horizon beyond the limits of their injuries.
80 veterans with moderate to severe injuries enrolled in up to three Bar-Ilan courses per semester last year while undergoing intensive rehabilitation.
Tens of senior faculty members and more than 80 lecturers received special training in integrating Project Shalom students into their departments and faculties.
Dozens of third-year students volunteered as peer helpers to provide Project Shalom students with real-time assistance.
Tomorrow’s STEM Leaders
Inclusive Excellence
Through mentorship, academic assistance, psychological support, and more, we empower often overlooked groups to lead fulfilling lives and contribute to their country.
+2,700
students who are first in their families to pursue an academic degree
+1,500
Arab students
~200
students of Ethiopian descent
~700
graduates of the Haredi educational system
We provided double the number of tutoring hours to students with learning and other cognitive disabilities since 2022.
2,521
students received academic, physical, and technological accommodations this year, approximately 12% of our student body.
Legacy
Building a Legacy
The projects that will define our impact in the years and decades to come
Join Us
A Word from our Chairmen
Help us reach a new high
Bar-Ilan’s global network of Friends Associations helps us advance our vision of a strong and just Israel and a healthier world. Reach out to the association nearest you to learn how you can be part of the transformative impact taking shape at Bar-Ilan today.
