Many students are admitted to the university but find it difficult to make the most of their academic and personal abilities due to financial, personal, educational, and / or social difficulties, as well as the difficulty integrating their studies with family life and their other obligations. In addition, there are unique populations whose hurdles are even more difficult. These include Haredi educated students, new immigrants, students from the Ethiopian community, whose parents immigrated, and students from outlying areas.
The unit operates the "Learning Communities" program - an academic guidance program for developing academic excellence among students. Assistance is given as individual or group tutoring/mentoring by veteran students who have passed the relevant courses with excellent grades. Additional lessons are provided for specific courses, as well as individualized English instruction as needed. In addition to academic content, the guidelines provide tools for dealing with studies in the specific department. Therefore, we endeavor to find a mentor from the same department where the student studies.
The unit also subsidizes an English summer course for "level 2" students, in order to reduce the course load in the first year of the degree and it also provides tools for dealing with the specific subjects and with improving academic writing and thinking skills.
As part of the Council for Higher Education's policy, the Council provides an educational-economic encompassing program for students of the Ultra-Orthodox community, studying for their first and second degrees. The program at the Hebrew University is implemented by The Equal Opportunities Unit in the Dean of Students Office. The unit works in conjunction with various units in the Dean of Students Office, helping students to overcome distinct challenges on their way to acquiring a degree.
The main goal of the program is to promote academic excellence and prevent the incidence of “drop outs”. The purpose of the program is to provide maximum support for every Ultra-Orthodox student, and helping them to balance their personal, economic and academic needs, as well as viewing these students’ needs in a systemic-holistic manner.
The assistance provided in the program by the Unit for Equal Opportunities:
1. Academic support.
2. Assistance in providing psychological counseling.
3. Subsidizing diagnostic testing for those with learning disabilities.
4. Cultural events.
5. Personal guidance and direction.
Encompassing program for students of the Ultra-Orthodox community
As part of the Council for Higher Education's policy, the Council has begun providing a multi-year program and budgeting a study-economic encompassing program for Ethiopian immigrant students studying for a bachelor's degree.
The assistance provided by the Unit for Equal Opportunities:
1. Academic support.
2. Psychological assistance.
3. Subsidizing diagnostic testing for students with learning disabilities.
4. Rent subsidies and assistance.
5. Travel expense refunds.
encompassing program for students from the Ethiopian community