2019

​In the framework of the events marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of IDC Herzliya, in early 2019 a conference was held on the applications of artificial intelligence. The conference was led by IDC’s Provost, Prof. Alex Mintz, and Prof. Moshe Ben Bassat, a lecturer and researcher at the Arison School of Business and founder of ClickSoftware and Plataine. The conference was attended by experts and senior representatives from academia and the high-tech industry, who discussed the developments and changes in the world of artificial intelligence and the practical applications of research in this field.

During the conference, a "Presidents' Forum" was held on the implications of the technological revolution on academia, featuring Prof. Uriel Reichman, Founding President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Reichman University, Prof. Yaffa Zilbershats, Chair of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education, Prof. Mark S. Wrighton, Chancellor of Washington University in the United States, and Prof. Andreas Zaby, President of the Berlin School of Economics and Law in Germany.

Prof. Yisrael Aumann, winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Economics, was also in attendance, and spoke about competition in higher education. "IDC Herzliya is unique in the Israeli academic landscape and it is the embodiment of competition in higher education,” he said. “I congratulate Prof. Reichman on his initiative in establishing this wonderful institution.”

IDC Herzliya launched the innovative, international entrepreneurship program Pafos Venture Creation Sprint, to take place in the city of Pafos, Cyprus. The program, which kicked off in February 2019, is the realization of the vision of the late President Shimon Peres, z”l. On his last visit to IDC Herzliya, President Peres presented Prof. Uriel Reichman, Founding President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Reichman University, with his vision that the State of Israel could become the technological engine that could propel the Middle East towards becoming a peaceful society.

Consequently, IDC Herzliya and the city of Pafos established the Pafos Innovation Institute, which launched the international program for entrepreneurship. The program was intended to bring together talented university graduates from the Eastern Mediterranean countries (Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Jordan and Israel) with the aim of forging cooperation and promoting joint regional initiatives.

The program is based on IDC’s extensive experience in training entrepreneurs and its goal is to provide the participants with the experience and the practical tools necessary for entrepreneurial ventures and the establishment of an innovative start-up. The duration of the program was ten days and comprised three modules: the ideation process; the validation check module; and the presentation and execution of the initiative.

The international entrepreneurship program is the first program offered by the Pafos Innovation Institute, a joint initiative by IDC Herzliya and the City of Pafos to establish a learning and training institute. As of 2019, the institute offers short-term executive programs. In the future, the institute will offer two graduate programs that will be officially recognized by the Councils for Higher Education of Cyprus and the European Union. The institute will help in establishing a hub that will encourage interaction between potential leaders from Middle Eastern countries in order to establish a network of connections that will enable inter-regional cooperation and the transfer of knowledge.

​
In 2019, IDC Herzliya launched four new master's degree programs:

Law, Technology and Business Innovation: Technological developments in the areas of artificial intelligence, biotech and robotics have drastically changed our work environments, local and global business ties, and our quality of life. Understanding the impact of the law on technology is imperative for jurists and entrepreneurs, executives and technology professionals.

The program aims to train students to cope with the challenges presented by technology, both locally and internationally. Students in the program will develop critical thinking processes and acquire skills for developing and finding short- and long-term solutions that will reshape the technological, legal and business spheres.

Human-Technology Interaction (HCI): The HCI program at the Sammy Ofer School of Communications provides students with the necessary skills to take on leadership roles in product innovation, UX/UI, UX research, interaction design in technology and design companies, and Human-Technology Interaction (HCI) research and development in technological innovation laboratories and in academic laboratories.

The head of the program is Dr. Oren Zuckerman, founder and director of the Media Innovation Lab (miLAB) at IDC Herzliya. The curriculum implements the principle of "hands-on learning" which combines theory and practice. The students take practical workshops and create interactive experiences using code, sensors, virtual reality, 3D printers, laser cutting and many other technologies.

Behavioral Economics: The MA program in Behavioral Economics combines economics and psychology and exposes students to psychological applications and behavioral interventions to improve decision-making by individuals, managers, and organizations. The connection between theory, research and application is at the core of the program and is expressed in in-depth introductory courses in economics and psychology, in research and scientific training by the top behavioral economics experts in Israel and the world, and in practical experience involving the design and execution of behavioral intervention based on the theoretical knowledge the students have acquired and on the research they have done. The program is headed by Dr. Guy Hochman, a lecturer and researcher at the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology.

Machine Learning and Data Science: In recent years, machine learning and data-driven methods have evolved considerably, and today they penetrate almost all areas of modern life. Data science methodologies and their analysis have become a unifying language and the most basic tools of scientific

and industrial research. This trend has had a profound impact on computer science, medical science, life sciences and biology, as well as on capital markets, chemistry, physics and behavioral sciences. The applications of these methodologies include the development of algorithms and methods of using data, the utilization of new cloud-based platforms, the installation and utilization of software solutions, and the handling of large-scale information diversity.

The Efi Arazi School of Computer Science has built an innovative and intensive M.Sc. program in Machine Learning & Data Science, aimed at providing a theoretical and practical understanding of data science, machine learning and Big Data technologies for students with a background and education in quantitative research. The program will provide students with knowledge, skills and tools in key areas such as machine learning, algorithms, databases, and statistical inference. Students will attend frontal lectures and seminars, and will

produce projects of different scales that will give them practical experience in the fields of data science and machine learning. The supportive learning environment at the Efi Arazi School of Computer Science provides opportunities for community and teamwork between students, scientists and researchers of all disciplines.

As part of IDC Herzliya’s 25th anniversary celebrations, a new, grand entrance gate was dedicated on campus. The "Arabov Gate," named in memory of David Arabov, was donated by his wife Dalia and his sons Doron, Alon and Zahi, who were among the first graduating students of IDC Herzliya. The gate was dedicated in a moving ceremony attended by Prof. Uriel Reichman, Founding President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Reichman University, Herzliya Mayor Moshe Fadlon, IDC faculty members and representatives of the City of Herzliya. Alongside the dedication of the Arabov Gate, a ceremony took place unveiling the sign for the new “Ha’universita” (The University) street leading up to the entrance of IDC Herzliya.

Prof. Reichman greeted those present and said, "This, the dedication of the gate, is a very exciting moment. We established this place 25 years ago when it was a decrepit army base. Zahi Arabov was among our students at the beginning of our journey, and naturally we made providing our students with the best academic education our first priority.

With time, we wanted the students to have a comfortable place to study and so we invested tremendous resources in schools, buildings and classrooms. For 25 years, the entrance gate to IDC remained that of a military base, closing and opening with a rope. The place was changing slowly but surely and there was not much left of the military camp except for a few barracks that I wanted to preserve.

It is quite symbolic that we are dedicating the gate named for David Arabov this year, IDC Herzliya's 25th anniversary and the year in which we were granted the authority to award doctorate degrees following a protracted struggle. We are on our way to being the first private university in Israel, and this is an achievement that no one imagined. I am glad that the Arabov family has not only contributed, but are also involved - Zahi and David's grandchildren all studied here. It is with great joy that we dedicate this gate in his name.”

As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations and en route to its establishment as the first private university in Israel, IDC Herzliya held a festive ceremony during which it awarded honorary doctorate degrees for the first time. The titles of Doctor Philosophiae Honoris Causa were conferred by Prof. Uriel Reichman, Founding President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Reichman University, Prof. Amnon Rubinstein, Chairman of IDC’s Board of Directors and Mr. Oudi Recanati, IDC Chancellor, to figures whose lives’ work reflect the values of Zionism, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, academia, philanthropy and business success, and in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the State of Israel, the Jewish people and IDC Herzliya.

The recipients of IDC Herzliya’s first honorary doctorates were Sheldon G. Adelson, Lt. Gen. (Res.) Gadi Eisenkot, Ambassador Isaac and Mrs. Perla Gilinski, Roni Izaki, Michel Litvak and Oudi Recanati. An honorary fellowship and the Wind Annual Social Entrepreneurship Award was granted to Gill Goshen.