Atmosphere Still Tense in Israel Over Higher Ed

The 34-day nationwide student strike, which has brought Israel's universities to a grinding halt, looks to continue after a crucial round of negotiation between the student unions and the government's education committee. From the Jerusalem Post

Tel Aviv University's Student union head Boaz Toporovski said Wednesday afternoon, "We will not sign in favor of this deal. It is unacceptable to us and does not hold up against the minimal red-lines in order for us to end the strike."

Students said that there were differences between certain agreements reached during Tuesday's meeting and the actual content of the written document. [Full article here]

New York's The Jewish Week:

The latest strike was precipitated by an initial report from the Schochet [sic] Committee, a body appointed by the government earlier this year to identify ways to lower education costs while slowing the brain drain of promising graduate students and professors who are lured to other countries by scholarships and stipends. The committee, which has yet to complete its work, was about to propose raising tuition fees and cutting funding to universities.

This recommendation, student leaders say, contradicts the government’s earlier promise to lower tuition costs over a period of several years — a promise made following recommendations by the government-appointed Winograd Committee on Higher Education in 2001. [Full article here]