Memorandum of Understanding with Israeli university opens path to student, faculty experiences

Officials from Cleveland State University and Israel’s University of Haifa will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on August 27 at 2 p.m. that formalizes an agreement to develop collaborative learning opportunities.

The signing by CSU President Ronald M. Berkman and Professor David Faraggi, Rector at University of Haifa, signifies a step forward in the relationship where each university will designate programs that will connect students and faculty across the two institutions.

The relationship was established during a trip to Israel by Dr. Berkman in May. He accompanied CSU Executive MBA students on their International Study Tour led by Dr. Elad Granot, assistant dean for MBA programs. Past trips have included India, Turkey, Dubai and Scandinavia. The visit included meetings with Israeli universities and following the trip, CSU identified the University of Haifa as its first potential Israeli partner.

“CSU and the University of Haifa share many similarities as urban universities with diverse students and a commitment to providing a global experience. Cleveland also includes a large and engaged Jewish community. Our students and faculty will gain access to a university deeply rooted in Israel’s innovation-driven economy and we offer access to exceptional resources in business, urban affairs, natural sciences, health care and biotechnology,” said Dr. Berkman.

The signing is part of a two-day visit by Professor Faraggi, which will include meetings with college deans and community leaders.

About Cleveland State University

Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is celebrating 50 years of excellence in higher education. Located on 85 acres in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, CSU is a public research institution dedicated to Engaged Learning, where classroom teaching is combined with hands-on experience in an urban setting. CSU serves more than 17,000 students through nine colleges, more than 200 academic programs and 2,600 co-op and internship opportunities. In 2014 CSU was again chosen as one of America’s best colleges by U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.csuohio.edu to learn more.

About the University of Haifa

The University of Haifa is the largest comprehensive research university in Israel’s northern region and academic home to a community of students that mirrors Israeli society. It enrolls the largest number of military and security personnel, who study alongside civilians from all walks of life - Haredi and secular Jews, new immigrants, Arabs and Druze.

The University of Haifa stands atop Mount Carmel, where Haifa’s southern boundary verges on the Carmel National Park. Over 18,000 students study here for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees.  The University of Haifa is fully committed to academic excellence, which is expressed in its many and diverse interdisciplinary and international programs and collaborations with academic institutions around the world.  The University of Haifa has gained an international reputation in many research areas, and is Israel’s leading university in the humanities, social sciences and marine sciences.