Page 7 - HAC President Report 2022
P. 7
Dear Friends,
I’m always reluctant to declare which we responded by increasing our offerings
HAC a resounding success, for for international students. For the first time ever,
fear this could imply that we have we have enrolled students from Saudi Arabia and
reached our peak. Far from it – Bahrain, while our existing collaborations between
because while HAC has doubled HAC and universities in Spain, Germany, the US,
its student body over the last and elsewhere have led to fruitful student exchange
decade, our growing reputation programs. Moreover, we are actively pursuing in-
and remarkable achievements ternational accreditation for our English-language
clearly prove that we are poised graduate degree programs in Optometry and Com-
to reach even greater heights. munication Disorders.
Our secret is knowing when to compromise - which I can’t deny that safeguarding a supportive and mul-
never happens when it comes to academic excel- ticultural learning environment has its challenges,
lence. We do, however, allow ourselves to look and especially with the stresses and tensions of
beyond the formalities of baseline criteria when we life in Israel. We therefore promote understanding,
catch a glimpse of that promising spark in an appli- mutual respect, and tolerance of different cultures
cant’s eye, feel their powerful ambition to win at life, and beliefs, and encourage face-to-face dialogue
or realize that they’ve finished high school against encounters instead of impersonal social media ex-
insurmountable odds. We already know that, with changes. Our efforts in this area create a palpable
our support, these young women and men will go ripple effect that can be felt throughout the campus
far. We believe in facilitating access to higher edu- community.
cation for all those who seek to acquire it (and who
meet certain baseline entrance requirements). It’s important to measure success: we know that
some 80% of our graduates are working in their
We encourage our students to keep their eyes on field of study, or pursuing graduate studies, and we
the bigger picture. From the second year of their consistently monitor the career paths of our gradu-
degree programs, HAC’s Career Counselling Center ates, many of whom mentor our current students.
helps students prepare for successful integration This year, we hope to raise sufficient resources to
into the workforce by instilling critical competencies fully establish HAC’s Alumni Association to enable
and paving a path to meaningful internships that us to further develop this critical network for the
frequently open the door to their first job and a re- benefit of the entire family of HAC.
warding career.
We are proud and privileged to give meaning to the
From our faculty, we expect the highest teaching principles of diversity, equality, and opportunity, and
standards and expertise in their respective disci- to transform the lives of so many young people while
plines. We thus proactively support academic re- creating real change in Israeli society. We never lose
search and promote opportunities for their profes- sight of the fact that this could not happen without
sional advancement within the College. A significant your immeasurable and steadfast support. We are
and growing number of our faculty members are truly grateful and humbled by your generosity and
themselves HAC graduates, who have returned to trust.
us with a doctorate in hand, along with a deep com-
mitment to our values, and a strong desire to give Sincerely,
back to the next generation.
Professor Bertold Fridlender
Keeping our eyes on the global scene, we are es- President
tablishing a significant presence in the international
academic arena. The pandemic recently opened
many new opportunities for remote learning, to
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