October News and Updates from American Friends of Reichman University

Prof. Uriel Reichman Concludes his term as President of Reichman University

Prof. Uriel Reichman, President and Founder of Reichman University (IDC Herzliya), has announced that, effective immediately, he is concluding his term as president. This announcement comes in the wake of the Council for Higher Education’s official recognition of the institution as a university about two weeks ago, and the change of its name from IDC Herzliya to Reichman University.

Prof. Reichman summed up his remarks by saying, “IDC Herzliya was established as a Zionist university, hence our educational outlook, which is expressed in the words ‘freedom and responsibility.’ We teach our students to go out into the world with faith in themselves and their friends. To be entrepreneurs and not accept the status quo if they don’t like it. To live a life of meaning and personal fulfillment of their aspirations, while at the same time caring first and foremost for those who cannot help themselves. And to be willing to protect, physically and morally, the state and its values. This is the foundation of principles on which we built our university, and the 35,000 graduates of IDC Herzliya carry these values with them.”

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It's Official IDC Herzliya is Recognized as a University!

It's official: 27 years after its establishment, IDC Herzliya has realized its vision by becoming officially recognized as a university!

The Council for Higher Education of Israel has announced a resolution today to officially recognize IDC Herzliya as a university. The council’s decision comes in the wake of a recommendation from a special committee that was set up to examine IDC's status as a university.

And it comes 27 years after the institute was established by Prof. Uriel Reichman, who modeled it after elite American universities with the aim of becoming the first private university in Israel – an independent, academic, non-profit institution that is not dependent on a government budget; instead its activities are funded by tuition money and donations.

A committee of experts that examined the issue of whether to recognize IDC Herzliya as a university submitted a report to the Council for Higher Education, which stated: "The Interdisciplinary Center is fit to be a university, as it guarantees a high academic level and high-level research that meet required standards for a university. Therefore, we unanimously and without reservation recommend to the Council for Higher Education that IDC Herzliya be granted recognition as a university. Including IDC Herzliya among Israel’s research universities will bring honor to the country and to its system of higher education.”

Chairman of the Board of Directors of IDC Herzliya, Prof. Amnon Rubinstein: “Recognizing IDC as a university is an important milestone in the evolution of Israel’s system of higher education. Were it not for Prof. Reichmann, who conceived of and carried out IDC’s establishment with extraordinary talent and dedication, the institute would have never existed. No one is more deserving to be the namesake of this university.”

To read the official Press Release from JPost, click here and from IDC Herzliya click here.

AFIDC NEWS AND UPDATES

August 2021 Newsletter

IDC Herzliya's Honorary Doctorate Ceremony

The honorary doctorate recipients: The tenth President of the State of Israel, Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin; Dr. Miriam Adelson; Dita Bronicki; Prof. Jerry (Yoram) Wind; Brigadier General (Res.) Hasson Hasson; Joey Low; and Director of the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, Prof. Brigadier General (Res.) Yitshak Kreiss. The degrees were conferred by IDC’s President and Founder Prof. Uriel Reichman, Chairman of the Board Prof. Amnon Rubinstein, and Chancellor Mr. Oudi Recanati. The honor is bestowed on individuals whose life’s work reflects Zionist values, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, academic integrity, philanthropy, and success in business, and who have made impactful contributions to Israel, the Jewish people, and IDC Herzliya. Delivering opening remarks at the ceremony, Prof. Uriel Reichman, president and founder of IDC Herzliya, said, “The story of IDC is one of struggle. A struggle for the freedom to create and for academic entrepreneurship, a struggle to open of the gates of higher education and to fulfill a vision. On this occasion, which marks achievement and fulfillment, I would like to say that each and every one of you, the recipients of this honorary degree, has made a unique contribution to IDC at important and meaningful moments in its development.”

For the full newsletter click here