The Zefat Academic College is a rapidly growing public college located at the gateway to the historic city of Zefat. The College, originally an extension of Bar-Ilan University, was granted independent accreditation by Israel’s Council of Higher Education in 2007.
Today, over 2,900 students are enrolled in the college’s baccalaureate programs in health sciences, law, the humanities and the social sciences. More than 90% of the students have roots in the multicultural Galilee and a high proportion of alumni launch their careers in underserved communities throughout Israel’s northern periphery.
Operating in Israel's periphery, the College is an anchor for the economic development of the city and the region.
The College attracts a highly diverse and multi-cultural - Jewish and Arab - student body. This diversity includes students who are Jewish secular, religious and ultra-orthodox, as well as immigrants from the former USSR and Ethiopia, together with Muslims, Druze, Christians and Circassians. The College is proud to be named, the most culturally diverse public institution of higher education in Israel.
The College’s approach to campus development and innovative technology is fast moving, and includes the preservation and the transformation of historic buildings into state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories and simulation centers. A new library, auditorium and additional facilities host academic conferences and cultural events for the benefit of the public-at-large.
Community service is at the heart of the College's mission. Every year, students contribute some 10,000 hours to projects dedicated to the needs of children and at-risk youth, disadvantaged families, new immigrants and the elderly. Faculty and students share a commitment to making a difference through initiatives planned in partnership with local and regional authorities.
Zefat Academic College is advancing an academic spirit of urban and regional renewal to serve Zefat, the Galilee and Israeli society.