The Council for Higher Education | Branches of Foreign Institutions

The Licensing Unit is directed to carry out the process of licensing institutions which want to operate branches of foreign higher education institutions in Israel. The Licensing Unit also deals with current supervision of the activities of branches, among other things by reviewing the branches. Moreover, the Unit responds to appeals from the public. For further questions you can write to: shluhot@che.org.il

Is the degree from a branch accredited?

The degrees granted to those studying in branches of foreign institutions are degrees from the mother institution abroad and are not accredited degrees as defined in the Council for Higher Education Law 1958/5718. Granting a license to branches does not confer any recognition by the Council for Higher Education of the branch as an accredited institution of higher education or any authorization to grant a recognized degree in the sense of the Council for Higher Education Law. Thus, a degree from a branch is a not a degree accredited by the Council for Higher Education

What is the difference between accredited and a license?

Accreditation : An accredited degree is a degree granted by an accredited institution of higher education – an Israeli university or college for which the Council for Higher Education has examined the academic level of the program, the level of the faculty in the program, the suitability of the content of the curriculum in view of its goals etc. Only after an institution has passed such an examination is the institution authorized to grant an accredited degree.

License: The license is granted to representatives of a foreign institution of higher education which wants to operate in the State of Israel. The license is awarded according to the Council for Higher Education Law 1958/5718, after it is found that the delegation requesting licensing and the proposed program comply with the conditions set out in the Law. The examination carried out for a license is administrative and primarily examines the identity of the program offered in Israel in comparison to what is offered in the mother institution. The license is not a confirmation in any way of the academic level or quality of the foreign branch. The license is for specific programs at a specific location.

What is the difference between a license, a temporary license and a temporary and conditional license?

A license is granted to a branch if at the time the license is issued it has been proven that all the criteria of the law have been complied with in fact. In this case, no time limit is applied to the license.

A temporary license is granted for a limited time.

A license which is temporary and conditional is limited in time and conditional on the representatives and/or the mother institutions fulfilling certain conditions. These conditions can be checked by contacting the Licensing Unit for Foreign Branches.

What happens if the license is valid for only part of the period of my studies?

In such a case, if the branch has submitted a request to renew its license beyond the expiration date, and its activities are found to meet the conditions of the law, a new license will be issued to it and the student who has begun his studies will be able to complete them in the framework of the branch. In any case, a student who has begun his studies is able to complete them at the mother institution abroad.

Does a degree from a branch have value for purposes of rank and salary?

At the end of one’s study at a branch, the student receives a foreign degree from the institution abroad. Weighing the value of foreign degrees for purposes of rank and salary for employees in public service is done by the Department for Evaluation of Foreign Academic Degrees and Diplomas at the Ministry of Education. Each degree is considered individually for each requesting an evaluation and no collective evaluation is carried out for an institution or a program. In the framework of evaluating a degree the Department examines, inter alia, whether the program upon conclusion of which a degree was granted was licensed, as well as additional criteria for evaluation of the degree, according to customary guidelines. For clarification in the matter of evaluating a degree for purposes of rank and salary one can contact the Department for Evaluation or Foreign Academic Degrees and Diplomas at the Ministry of Education, Lev-Ram Building, 2 Deborah the Prophet Street, Jerusalem, Tel: 02-5602853, Fax: 02-5603876. For additional information please see The Amendment to the Council of Higher Education Law, in the framework of Sections 58-59 of the Economic Policies Law for the fiscal year 2005 (Legislative amendments, 2005/5765 of March 29, 2005).

Upon conclusion of studies at a branch, what are the chances of being admitted for continuing one’s education at an accredited institution (university or college)?

Admission by an accredited academic institution based on studies in a foreign branch falls within the authority of the Israeli institution. To obtain information on the topic of admission by accredited institutions, one must apply to the colleges and universities.

Upon conclusion of studies at a branch will I be recognized as an Academic at the Employment Bureau?

This topic is not within the authority of the Council for Higher Education. It can be clarified through the Unit for Questions from the Public at the Employment Bureau: pniot@taasuka.gov.il or at a regional Employment Bureau.

Upon the conclusion of my studies at a branch will I find employment?

The authority to hire employees is the prerogative of the employer.

Does a license allow for registration by a professional body, for purposes of professional employment (for example: at the Bar Association, Psychological Counseling Service)?

This topic is not within the authority of the Council for Higher Education. The license does not regulate registration in a professional organization. Details for the required procedures for registration in order to engage in different professions can be found with the relevant licensing authorities.

How can I obtain the telephone number/address of a branch?

The Council for Higher Education does not provide addresses or telephone numbers of the representatives. Try the telephone information service 144 giving the name of the desired party in Israel in order to obtain this information.

I have a problem with the grade/ lecturer/administration. What can be done?

A student studying at a branch is a student of the mother institution which grants the degree. Thus, if you run into a problem, you can turn to the responsible party at the mother institution.

I have an academic degree which I earned abroad. Is this degree accredited ?

The Council for Higher Education only accredits degrees earned at Israeli institutions, within the boundaries of the State of Israel. A degree earned abroad is a foreign degree which is not accredited by the Council for Higher Education.

I studied/began to study in Israel at a foreign institution before 1998. Can I obtain confirmation that the institution operated legally?

The law which requires the representatives who operated a branch of a foreign institution of higher education to be licensed was enacted in February 1998. Before that time a foreign institution could operate without the need for a legal arrangement. Despite the lack of the legal requirement, there were institutions that applied to the Council for Higher Education for authorization of their activities. You can get information in the matter of these authorizations from the Licensing Unit for Foreign Branches. In any case, the Council for Higher Education cannot issue a confirmation that the institution operated with a license for activities by these institutions before February 1988.

I studied/will study by correspondence or over the internet. Is the degree accredited or has a license been granted for such activities?

The Council for Higher Education is authorized to accredit degrees earned in the context of an Israeli institution only. In addition, the Council grants licenses to branches of foreign institutions of higher education operating in Israel. Licensing studies by correspondence or over the internet is not within the authority of the Council for Higher Education. Thus, these degrees are not accredited and also do not undergo a licensing process.

Have there been any changes recently in the status of a degree granted by a branch?

Yes. In April 2005 the Council for Higher Education Law was amended (Amendment No. 12) and it states that the identical nature which existed in Law between a degree earned at a branch and a degree from the mother institution, will be restricted and will not be applicable in the matter of obtaining employment, ranking of the employee, and his rank for purposes of salary and employment benefits. In addition to the Amendment, it was decided that during a transitional period the Amendment will not apply in the following instances:

I. For a degree for someone who completed his studies by July 31, 2005.

II. For the degree of a student* who finishes his studies at an institution where:

(a) Its declared intention to submit a request for accredited according to Section 9 of the CHE Law is submitted within three month from the date the Law was published on April 11, 2005.

(b) It submits a request for accredited by June 1, 2006.

            For more information see Amendment to the CHE Law and also the notice from the
            Civil Service Commission No. 13/66 on the website of the Civil Service - click here:
            http://www,civil-service.gov.il.

* Note:The registration date is important – See the definition of “student” in the transitional
provisions for the Amendment.

Which institutions have submitted a declaration and request for accreditation according to the transitional provisions for Amendment No. 12 of the CHE Law?

1. S.A.A. College Network, Ltd., branch of the University of Derby, Great Britain

2. College in Israel for Education Horizons Ltd., branch of the University of New England, New England College, Northeastern University and Clark University, USA

3. Ramat Gan College, branch of Heriot Watt University, Scotland

4. The Association for the Promotion of Education, branch of the University of Indianapolis, USA

5. The Art Institute’s Project Israel, branch of Lesley University, USA

6. College of Economics, Informatics, and Technology (City College) Ltd. a branch of Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics (MESI) and Moscow International Institute for Econometrics, Informatics, Finance and Law (MIFP), Russia

7. YEDA International for Learning Ltd., a Branch of the Polytechnic University of New York, USA*

Note:

*This institution submitted a request for recognition before Amendment No.12 was enacted.