(L) BGU President Rivka Carmi and JLU Executive Vice Chairman Li Cai sign an MoU to establish an R&D center. Standing behind are (L) Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Vice Premier Liu Yandong. (Photo : Council for Higher Education)

Four public research universities entered into an agreement to pursue one common goal: to establish a research and development center.



Plans for the establishment of the ECNU-UH Joint Translational Science & Technology Research Institute, a project between the East China Normal University in Shanghai and the University of Haifa in Israel, officially saw its beginning after leaders from both universities signed a cooperation agreement in Haifa on March 25, reported Shanghai Daily.




The research institute will focus on biomedicine, ecological and environmental engineering, neurobiology, data science and pharmaceutical engineering.



The Chinese government invested $3 million for the construction of the building, which will rise at the Shanghai Zizhu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in Minhang District, according to the website of the University of Haifa.



ECNU President Chen Qun and University of Haifa Rector David Faraggi led the signing ceremony.



This is the second time the two universities have collaborated in the name of research.



On Feb. 18, 2015, Chen and Faraggi signed an agreement that led to the creation of the Shanghai-Haifa International Research Center in Shanghai, according to the website of the American Society of the University of Haifa.



The center serves as a venue for research works in computing and data management, education, environmental management, mathematics, neuroscience and technology.



“This is an important step for the university that represents the importance of international collaboration with the world’s leading academic institutions and the high regard China has for Israeli research and academia,” said Faraggi.



Established in 1972, the University of Haifa presents itself on its website as “the leading university in Israel in the fields of the Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, Welfare and Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Education and Management.”



The university offers 20 international academic programs where English is the medium of instruction.



A major seaport, Haifa is Israel’s third largest city.



For the next pair of universities, it was their first time to engage in a joint project.



Jilin University and the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem on March 30 to build a research center for entrepreneurship and innovation, according to BGU’s website.



According to BGU President Rivka Carmi, the research center “will promote academic cooperation in research and teaching and will serve as a platform to encourage connections between Chinese and Israeli businesspeople,” reported Times of Israel.



Li Cai, JLU Executive Vice Chairman of the University Council, and Carmi signed the MoU.



The Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, established in 1969 in the arid region of Negev, offers courses under Business and Management, Engineering Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences and Natural Sciences.



Formerly known as the University of the Negev, it was renamed in 1973 after David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973), founder of Israel and its first prime minister (1955-1963).

