Breaking Update
New University Approved in Kiryat Shmona to Drive Regional Growth
Israel's Council for Higher Education approves Kiryat Shmona University, upgrading Tel Hai Academic College to drive regional growth and create jobs.
Jerusalem, 20 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Council for Higher Education approved the transformation of Tel Hai Academic College into Kiryat Shmona University, set to begin in the 2017 academic year, 20 years after the government first decided to establish a university in the Galilee. The upgrade comes amid local protests over displacement and lack of government support following two years of war.
The university will offer doctoral programs in biotechnology, education, psychology, and nutritional sciences, alongside a new engineering faculty and a veterinary school in the Golan Heights. Plans also include a “University City” to integrate students into Kiryat Shmona.
Officials say the university will drive regional growth, create jobs, and strengthen the social and academic fabric of northern Israel.
