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Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU)
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) is the fastest-growing research university in Israel. With 20,000 students, 4,000 staff and faculty members, and three campuses in Beer-Sheva, Sde Boker, and Eilat, BGU is a driving force for change, bringing to life the vision of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first legendary Prime Minister, who foresaw Israel’s future emerging from the Negev. The university is at the heart of the transformation of Beer-Sheva into the nation's cyber capital, with leading multinational companies leveraging BGU's expertise to generate innovative R&D.
Fiftieth Anniversary and Mission
As it celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, the mission of BGU (Ben-Gurion University) is to continue effecting change at the local, regional, and international levels. With faculties in Engineering Sciences, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Business and Management, and Desert Studies, BGU is a university with a conscience, operating both at the frontiers of science and within the community.
More than a third of our students participate in one of the most developed community action programs in the world. The university is a nationally and globally recognized leader in many fields. It actively fosters multidisciplinary collaborations with government and industry and nurtures entrepreneurship and innovation in all its forms.
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and its French Collaborations
Transforming the Desert into a Source of Life
Located in the heart of the desert, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev works tirelessly to transform the desert into a source of life for the benefit of all humanity, notably through its French collaborations. Researchers from its French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands conduct both fundamental and applied research to provide sustainable agricultural solutions in arid regions, where conventional or traditional agricultural methods are difficult or even impossible to implement.
Science strives to meet the needs of populations residing in these drought-affected areas by addressing food security issues and promoting drivers of economic growth. Drought, high water salinity, extreme temperatures, and intense sunlight present major challenges to populations, as well as to wildlife and plant life.
Collaboration in Agriculture and Space
Also, in the field of agriculture and space, the Franco-Israeli environmental research satellite VENµS (Vegetation and Environment Monitoring on a New Micro-Satellite), whose Israeli principal investigator is a member of the BGU faculty, was launched in 2017 in collaboration with CNES (French National Centre for Space Studies). The satellite collects data from agricultural fields to study the condition of the land and other natural resources, such as foliage, reforestation, and water quality.
How Can Wastewater Become a True Resource?
This is a question that many scientists around the world are asking. Several research teams at Ben-Gurion University are working on the subject.
Historical Background
At the height of the Covid-19 epidemic, we remember that researchers from the Coronavirus Task Force created within the university developed a method to detect the possible presence of the virus in wastewater through traces of RNA. This served as an early warning system to prevent future outbreaks of the epidemic. This method was adopted by several countries.
Current Environmental Issues
Today, the focus is on environmental protection. Wastewater from phosphate mines is stored in retention ponds and is expected to evaporate. However, if the walls of these ponds collapse due to weather, terrain, or other factors, there is a spill of these toxic acidic waters, leading to ecological disaster, as occurred in 2017 in the southwest of the Dead Sea, causing, among other things, the death of many animals.
Innovations in Water Treatment
Researchers from the Water Research Institute (Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research), co-directed by Dr. Oded Nir and Roy Bernstein, have developed a three-step chemical process to recycle these environmentally toxic sludge waters. This process transforms toxic wastewater into clean water while also recovering phosphoric acid, the main ingredient in industrial fertilizers. The researchers at Ben-Gurion University consider this process very promising for sustainable development and recommend that industry leaders examine its potential and study its feasibility in their factories. The results of their research were recently published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, the prestigious scientific journal of the American Chemical Society.
Mandel MBA
Presentation of the Mandel MBA in Social Leadership
The Mandel MBA in Social Leadership is the flagship program of the Faculty of Management and Business Administration at Ben-Gurion University. Established in 2011, it aims to train students in the management of non-profit organizations (associations, foundations, social enterprises, etc.). This program is based on the belief that the same management tools are relevant for the third sector as they are for traditional businesses.
It is a 16-month program, welcoming 20 to 25 students who combine outstanding academic achievements with notable accomplishments in social engagement. Over 85% of program graduates go on to work in the third sector, choosing this career path by choice rather than by default.
This program has been a source of systemic progress for management education in Israel. It was the first to receive EPAS accreditation five years ago and led the accreditation process for the entire Faculty of Management and Business Administration, resulting in the highest international accreditation for a management faculty (Equis).
Program Structure
The program has an original design: it is divided into two equally weighted modules, one teaching management tools and the other providing the knowledge necessary for the non-profit sector. Two bridging courses prevent students from developing a dichotomous understanding.
In synergy with this high-level theoretical and technical education, the program is built around interactions between students and leaders of foundations, non-profit organizations, and social enterprises, both in Israel and internationally. The focus is on the ability to conduct organizational diagnoses and present proposals. The curriculum includes several case study courses, making this program the only one representing Israeli universities in the world’s largest case study competition held annually at Concordia University in Montreal.
International Seminar
The program concludes with an original experience consisting of a 10-day international seminar on a central issue for the non-profit sector. In 2022, this seminar will take place in Paris with the support of the French Friends of Ben-Gurion University.
International Faculty
The faculty of this program is international, including professors from universities such as Duke and New York University in the United States, Henley Business School in England, Eichstätt in Germany, and the Sorbonne and Skema in France. Our program benefits from scholarships through the support of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation based in Cleveland, USA.
Contact
Carmit Lesly-Gropper
Email: fom.mbaslc@bgu.ac.il
Phone: +972 74 7795032