Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee Approved as Northern Israel’s First University

In a landmark decision that marks a new chapter for northern Israel, the Council for Higher Education has approved the establishment of Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee the region’s first university granting Tel Hai Academic College provisional university status.

The announcement follows a unanimous vote on Tuesday and is seen as a powerful catalyst for rebuilding and strengthening Kiryat Shmona, a city that has long stood at the forefront of Israel’s northern frontier.

“The decision to approve the establishment of Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee is a central step in the process of restoring and strengthening the city,” said Education Minister Yoav Kisch. “This will be a lever for regional development and creating an academic and economic future for the young people of the north.”

The newly recognized university will launch in the 2026 academic year under a five-year provisional period. During that time, it must meet government-defined academic and infrastructural goals to earn full, permanent university status.

One of the key conditions that made this progress possible was the agreement by Tel Hai College to transfer its eastern campus into the jurisdiction of the Kiryat Shmona Municipality a strategic move that tightly integrates the institution with the city’s future development.

According to university management, the institution will focus on applied research and work as a bridge between academia and the region’s industry, community, and environment. “We are not only establishing a new university in Kiryat Shmona, but we are also building the future of the north of the country,” the university said in a statement.

The initiative is expected to attract thousands of students from across Israel, creating new educational and employment opportunities in the Galilee and encouraging graduates to stay, build families, and contribute to the region’s renewal. From an economic standpoint, the project is designed to stimulate local entrepreneurship and innovation, with the university acting as a regional hub of knowledge and growth.

The path to this achievement included a thorough review by the Council for Higher Education, informed by the Steering Committee and the Planning and Budgeting Committee. The city of Kiryat Shmona implemented a range of prerequisites outlined by the Education Ministry to ensure readiness for this significant upgrade.

“Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee will be an anchor for academic, economic, and social growth,” the municipality noted, calling the institution a center of attraction for students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and families.

Mayor Avichai Stern echoed this sentiment. “The recognition of Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee is proof that persistence, regional partnership, and faith in the path bring results,” he said. “This is a significant growth engine for the city, for young people, and for the next generation a cornerstone in building a strong and stable future in the Galilee.”

This historic step places Kiryat Shmona at the center of a national effort to strengthen the periphery, invest in the future of Israeli youth, and empower regions far from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem through high-level education and opportunity.

Israel continues to plant seeds of growth and excellence in every corner of the country building not just institutions, but a lasting future.

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