Israel's Council of Higher Education has approved a significant move to strengthen the healthcare and higher education systems in the southern city of Eilat.
As part of the decision, a pre-clinical medicine program will be established in collaboration with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the University of Debrecen in Hungary. The program will be part of a three-year study track, offering medical education at the highest level while maintaining strict academic standards.
The move aims to strengthen Eilat as an academic and medical hub, particularly by providing local young people with the opportunity to study medicine without having to travel abroad. This is an important step in improving the local healthcare system, while also reducing the number of Israeli students who are forced to study medicine abroad. Additionally, this initiative will help address the shortage of doctors in Israel.
Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri praised the decision and added that it represents a turning point in the efforts to address the city's healthcare challenges.
"This groundbreaking decision marks a turning point in our efforts to tackle the challenges of healthcare services in Eilat. It will strengthen the city as an academic and medical anchor, open up opportunities for our youth and the Jewish diaspora, and lay a real foundation for long-term improvement in the city's healthcare services," he said.