In 1912, the cornerstone was laid for the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. It was the first institution of higher learning established in then Palestine, and it showed an understanding, even then, that the success of the Jewish state-to-be would depend heavily on its ability to innovate through technology; that the country’s only significant natural resource was the brainpower of its people.
Fast-forward 100 years, and see how astonishingly that vision has been realised. Today, Israel is one of the technology powerhouses of the world – the ‘start-up nation’. And where do the majority of those talented people and great ideas start? At the Technion.
Consider these facts:
- Technion graduates comprise the majority of Israeli-educated scientists and engineers, constituting over 70% of the country’s founders and managers of high-tech industries.
- Due to the ingenuity of Technion alumni, Israel is now home to the greatest concentration of high-tech start up companies anywhere outside of Silicon Valley.
- Companies including Google, Microsoft, IBM, Qualcomm, Yahoo!, Hewlett-Packard and others have established their operation near or even on campus, where they can take advantage of the Technion’s research power and outstanding graduates.
- 80% of Israeli NASDAQ companies are led by Technion graduates.
- Hi-tech industry now accounts for more than 54% of Israel’s industrial exports, and over 26% of the country’s exports.
- 135 out of every 10,000 workers in Israel are scientists and engineers, compared to the USA, in second place with 85 out of every 10,000 workers.
- Nine out of every 1,000 workers are engaged in R&D, nearly double the rate of the USA and Japan.
- Three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates are at the Technion.
- The Technion is one of just 10 universities in the world that has built and launched a satellite.
The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.