Boycotts ‘shake the foundations’ of Israeli academia: Report

Academics describe scientific research as ‘a central engine of economic growth’ for Israel, cautioning that weakening universities could jeopardize long-term economic recovery

The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities warned in its annual report, covered by Haaretz on 4 January, that sustained government cuts to academic research funding, combined with the global backlash of the genocide in Gaza, risk having “far-reaching consequences” for Israel's science sector.

The Academy report notes that the world’s boycott of Israeli academia in response to Tel Aviv's war crimes in Gaza has shaken “the foundations of scientific cooperation” and undermined the ability of young researchers to establish themselves.

The report also states that public investment in research and development at Israeli universities has been steadily shrinking for over a decade, even as most OECD countries have increased spending.

Over the 2014–2023 period, spending on academic research in Israel dropped by roughly four percent, while the OECD spending average rose by nearly 20 percent.

This decline has pushed Israeli researchers, particularly early-career academics, to rely heavily on foreign grants, as the academy notes that around 93 percent of Israel’s R&D spending is directed to the business sector, leaving just about 5.5 percent for academia – one of the lowest ratios in the OECD.

The dependence on foreign funding has collided with a widening international boycott of Israeli academic institutions following the genocide in Gaza.  (more...)

Boycotts ‘shake the foundations’ of Israeli academia: Report