Afeka Academic College of Engineering in Tel Aviv faced a double challenge after October 7: they had the highest share of students serving in the IDF reserves and were determined that none would drop out as a result of the war, so that Afeka's graduates could continue filling vital positions in Israel's tech ecosystem.


REBECCA KOPANS SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

Israel owes its reputation as one of the world's tech powerhouses and as a global leader in innovation and technology to its unique human resources. Indeed, for decades the country's large pool of highly skilled and educated men and women has been driving the success of the tiny country's outsized high-tech ecosystem. Afeka Academic College of Engineering is an important part of this ecosystem, responsible for supplying an annual 10% of Israel's new engineers and ensuring that the industry's ranks are filled with its well-trained and highly capable alumni.

When war broke out last year following the horrific events of October 7, Afeka College soon realized that a large share of its student body had been mobilized. In fact, a whopping 42% of the College's 3,400 students served in the IDF reserves during the Swords of Iron War – leaving behind their civilian lives for weeks or months at a time in order to help protect their country, often at great personal risk. Sadly, one Afeka student and three recent alumni were killed in combat, and two students were murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7. Many more students and alumni were wounded, some spending long periods in the hospital.

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