Training Opportunities in Israel – International Programs

 

 

A famous Jewish saying is – "From all who taught me, I have learnt". In Israel there is an emphasized belief in sharing knowledge, and this has practical implications. Israeli institutions offer professionals from all around the world to participate in seminars, courses and training tracks in specialized fields. Also, The Israeli Foreign Affairs Office leads useful cooperative relations with many different states, and coordinates training programs in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Tai, Arabic and other languages.

 

 

In these programs participants are exposed to new procedures and ideas that will assist their work in the future. International professionals will benefit from state of the art labs, experienced instructors and the chance to get a fresh perspective on topics in their lines of work. All tracks include theoretical studies and field trips to sites involving the studied field. Some programs also include practical workshops.

 

 

 

 

Agriculture courses in Israel are mostly practical courses in which international farmers can experience some of the methods used in Israel in the areas of crops and livestock farming. Since Israel is a rather dry country, many of the courses will focus on special systems of irrigation that were developed in Israel. Livestock breeding and nutrition is yet another popular program. Other tracks focus on greenhouse crops, aquaculture and water resources.

 

All courses include field trips to farms and other sites around Israel in addition to theoretical learning in class. The purpose of such short-term programs in contrast to academic agriculture programs is to provide the participants with new methods or systems while placing the emphasis on their practical usage.

 

 

There are many programs for international professionals: doctors, nurses and health administrators. In fact, there are hundreds of programs involving medical care in more than 100 areas of expertise.

 

The main fields of expertise are health administration, emergency medical treatment, caring for the disabled and crash courses focusing on practical procedures in oncology, cardiology, onco-genetics as well as dozens of other fields. Doctors and nurses attending practical courses will get training experience in medical simulation centers.

 

 

Seminars and workshops in security focus mainly on the practical aspects of the field. Participants will learn of latest products in the area such as surveillance tools and security software as well as developments in weapon, strategy and tactics,and get some hands on experience at top notch simulation facilities. Representatives of military and police forces from around the world attend Israeli seminars continuously as do executives and guards of private security firms.

 

 

In recent years, more and more attention, planning and R&D are given to environmental issues in Israel. There are several programs that focus on ecology, hydrology and utilization of natural recourses. The latter, which is also referred to as sustainable development is the focus of extensive research and practice in recent years.

 

Many programs focus on the environmental conditions and challenges,such as: lack of sweet water recourses, industrial pollution and the ruin of natural landscape due to urbanization and industrialization processes. In addition, students will learn of sustainable development in Israel, new developments in solar energy and more. Programs that focus on global environment and ecology are also available.

 

 

Educators from all over the world can find special programs for teachers and administers. The programs aim to provide experienced teachers with new skills and ideas that will assist their work. You can find programs regarding pre-school children or drug prevention for teenagers, teaching in rural-agriculture environment or at an urban setting, teaching natural or computer science or the foundations of literacy, as well as courses and workshops in other areas.

 

In addition, there are special tracks for education administrators especially in higher education. The courses offered in the area include library management, finance management, developing new programs and higher education institution management.

 

 

Israeli institutions offer various courses and workshops in business and economics. You can find many seminars that focus on starting business initiatives, with emphasis on small businesses. Other tacks include NGOs management, project management, monitoring and evaluation, sustainable tourism and strategic urban economic planning.

 

 

Since the programs are numerous so is their duration. Mostly, the programs are short termed, approx. 2-3 weeks. However, you can also find shorter and longer tracks especially in cases the programs are held in cooperation with academic institutions.

 

 

As could be expected from such a wide array of subjects and fields admission requirements vary considerably. In most cases the admission for these programs requires past academic and practical experience. For instance, medical programs are open only to nurses and doctors who completed their studies and have some experience; education programs are open for experienced teachers etc.

 

However, there are some areas in which background in the field of studies is not a must as the tracks themselves are introductory. In addition, participants of most programs arrive as part of groups (college classes for instance) and others are sent by their government, NGO etc. Thus, mostly the admittance process is completed before arriving at Israel.

 

 

 

 

GIMI - Galilee International Management Institute (Nahalal, near Nazareth) - offers many 15 day courses in agriculture and environment, medicine, security and strategic studies, business and economics and in higher education administration. Among its programs: Livestock, Environment and Resources, Irrigation, Aviation Security, HIV/AIDS: Innovative Management and Care, and more.

 

Golda Meir Training Center (Haifa) – run by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and offers courses and workshops in various languages in health care and medicine, business, education, agriculture and more. Representatives of more than 150 countries have attended the center's programs over the years. Special emphasis is placed on women's empowerment although the programs are open to both men and women.

 

 

Arava Institute (Kibbutz Ketura) – offers academic programs in environment and ecology accredited by Ben Gurion University of the Negev. International students may attend a semester or special seminars at the institute as well as take part in peace building initiatives. Arava's student body includes Israelis, Jordanians, Palestinians as well as Europeans and Americans.

 

TAITC - The Arava International Trainee Center (Sapir) - is a leading institute for agriculture and environment studies. The programs in the center are usually designed together with international academic institutions in order to match the schools needs and requirements. Each year, 200 trainees attend the programs, mainly from Eastern Asia (Thailand, Tibet, Myanmar and Nepal).

 

The Center of International Agriculture Development Cooperation (Rehovot) – is run by the Israel's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and offers courses and programs in Israel as well as in other countries. The center's experts participate in programs and projects initiated by foreign governments and NGOs. Locations of projects or seminars vary and are not permanent. However, many programs are taught at The Weitz Center for Development Studies in Rehovot.

 

IMS - Israel Meteorological Service - offers international postgraduate training in applied meteorology. Participants attend 2-3 week programs in agricultural meteorology, crop weather modeling, database management, hydro metrology and planning and utilization of natural and climate resources. Each year it offers a different curriculum.

 

 

Sheba Medical Center (Tel Ha'shomer) - is the biggest medical center in Israel and includes three hospitals. Sheba Center offers more than 60 programs for medical professionals: doctors, nurses and administrators. Practical experience is gained in simulations as well as "on the job training".

 

Magen David Adom(Kiryat Ono) – offers various courses in emergency medicine from basic first aid programs to advanced trauma medicine. Other courses focus on the administrative side of emergency medicine or various medical services: blood services, humanitarian aid, system administration etc. Most international courses are held at Magen David Adom HQ in Kiryat Ono while some seminars are held at Ramat Gan's Bar Ilan University.

 

Beit Issie Shapiro (Ra'anana) - is a leading institution that provides services to children with disabilities and their families. The organization offers more than 100 courses every year for caregivers for children with disabilities – doctors, nurses, teachers and family members. In addition, it offers courses for people with disabilities. The tracks focus mainly on practical experience.

 

 

Aharon Ofri Center (Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, near Jerusalem) - is a collaboration of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Ministry of Education. The center offers many educational courses for teachers from all around the world. You can be trained in: curriculum development, technology embedding in schools and classes, establishing educational systems in rural areas, social rehabilitation of neighborhoods and drug abuse prevention.

 

 

Institute of Terrorism Research and Response (Jerusalem, and a branch in Philadelphia) - offers practical training and theoretical background in fields of counter suicide terrorism, threat assessment, intelligence and information collection, counter terrorism operational training and many more. The courses are usually for college students as part of their studies.

 

ICSI - The Israeli College for Security and Investigations (Jerusalem) - offers many programs in English, such as: Information Protection, Investigations and Intelligence, Bodyguards (protection officers), Maritime and Airport Security and Military and National Security. There is also the option to design a tailored course by your choice.