Achva Academic College

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Achva Academic College

מכללת אחוה
Established	1971
President	Prof. Yifat Bitton
Location	Be'er Tuvia Regional Council , Israel

Achva Academic College is a public academic institution, located within the jurisdiction of Beer Tuvia Regional Council.

The college offers academic studies in the fields of science, education, social sciences, and the humanities.  It is accredited to grant undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as teaching diplomas.

As of the 2021 academic year, the college had approximately 3,000 students and 500 lecturers in some twenty fields of knowledge, including:  special education, preschool education, mathematics teaching, English teaching, life sciences, psychology, information systems, communications disorders, applied computer sciences, and more.  In addition to academic studies, Achva Academic College also offers diploma studies and continuing education courses, as well as programs for completing high school matriculation and specific preparatory programs.

The Achva campus mainly serves the adjacent peripheral areas and encourages a multi-cultural approach that welcomes diverse population groups who wish to acquire higher education. The college is accessible to students with a range of special needs.

Several centers operate within the College[]

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Unit – trains students to be creative educators, entrepreneurs and leaders who can respond to today's challenges.

The Neuropedagogy Center – combines in-depth study of papers on brain research with their application in learning and teaching.

The Simulation Center – trains students to work effectively in the field of education using learning processes based on practical experience as an integral part of studying education.

History[]

Achva Academic College was established in 1971 by Beer Tuvia Regional Council, as a training college for teachers and early childhood teachers to obtain senior teaching qualifications.

In the early 1970s the college offered programs for technicians and mechanical engineers, in construction plus industry & management, as well as non-academic teaching programs, including a two-year course for kindergarten teacher qualification and a one-year course for kindergarten aides.  By the end of the 1970s the college was also offering supplementary education courses for mothers. Soon afterwards it became an independent association offering non-academic studies towards a qualified senior teacher's diploma.

In 1993, Achva College was approved by the Council of Higher Education (CHE) to offer study programs under the academic supervision of Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Furthermore, in 1995 the college received a permit from the CHE allowing it to award B.Ed. degrees for its training courses for early childhood, elementary and middle school teachers, in its departments of education, literature, history, mathematics, sciences, Jewish studies, Hebrew language, and special education.

In 1998, Achva received accreditation for its B.Ed. degree courses, in addition to recognition of its departments of Arabic, English and computers.

In 1997, under the guidance of the CHE, the college introduced an administrative separation between the Academic College of Education and the college under the auspices of Ben-Gurion University.

The Achva Independent Association began activities in September 2000 under the academic supervision of Ben-Gurion University, and over the years offered 12 general studies programs leading to undergraduate degrees.

During this period, the college also provided transitional programs enabling outstanding students to transfer to Ben-Gurion University.

In 2009 the college, which had until then operated under the auspices of Ben-Gurion University, was recognized as an independent academic institution, able to award its own independent B.Sc. degrees in life sciences.   The college separated from the university in 2012, and the combined structure created one unique college with two undergraduate schools – one specializing in education, and the other in sciences, plus a school for graduate degrees. In 2012, after a lengthy process of work by professional steering committees, a strategy was drawn up of uniting the colleges which had previously operated under the name of Achva Academic Campus.  That year the CHE approved the unification of the colleges under the single name of Achva Academic College.

As of the 5781 academic year, the college had approximately 3,000 students and 500 lecturers of various grades (senior faculty and junior faculty) in some twenty fields of knowledge, including:  special education, early childhood education, mathematics teaching, English teaching, life sciences, psychology, information systems, communication disorders, practical computer sciences, and more.^{[citation needed]}

Degree Studies at the College[]

Education[]

B.Ed. in Education and Teaching Diploma for Outstanding Students of Education (RGB – who use their initiative in teaching)

B.Ed. in Education and Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching

B.Ed. in Education and Diploma in Special Education Teaching

B.Ed. in Education and Diploma in English Teaching for all ages

B.Ed. in Education and Diploma in Literature Teaching for Elementary and Secondary Schools

B.Ed. in Education and Diploma in Hebrew Language Teaching for Elementary and Secondary Schools

B.Ed. in Education and Diploma in History Teaching for Elementary and Secondary Schools

B.Ed. in Education and Diploma in Science Teaching for Elementary and Secondary Schools

B.Ed. in Education and Diploma in Mathematics Teaching for Elementary and Secondary Schools

B.Ed. in Education and Diploma in Arabic Language and Literature Teaching for Elementary and Secondary Schools

M.Ed. in Special Education

M.Ed. in Mathematics Education for Primary Schools

M.Ed. in Administration of Education Systems (with or without a thesis)

M.Teach and Diploma in Teaching

M.Ed. in Administration of Early Childhood Education Systems

M.A. in Educational Counselling*

* Granting of the degree is contingent on CHE approval.

Psychology[]

B.A. in Psychology

B.A. in Psychology on the Special Education track

B.A. in Psychology on the Human Resources track

M.A. in Culturally Sensitive Clinical Psychology*

* Granting of the degree is contingent on CHE approval.

Communications Clinician[]

B.A. in Communications Disorders*

* Granting of the degree is contingent on CHE approval.

Information Systems[]

B.Sc. in Information Systems

B.Sc. in Information Systems and Applied Computer Sciences*

* Granting of the degree is contingent on CHE approval.

Sciences[]

B.Sc. in Life Sciences

B.Sc. in Life Sciences combining a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Science

B.Sc. in Life Sciences with a Transition Channel to a Four-Year Medical Course

B.Sc. in Life Sciences with a Teaching Diploma

Humanities and Social Sciences[]

Multi-disciplinary B.A. – Evening studies in the departments of Human Resources, Psychology, Education, Conflict Resolution & Crisis Management, Culture, Hebrew Literature, History of Ideas (History), Sociology, Environment and Sustainability.

M.A. in the Culture of the Jewish People

Tuition Fees and Scholarships[]

Tuition fees at the college are the same as university fees.  The college offers a range of assistance and encouragement scholarships equivalent to full first year tuition fees for students who meet the acceptance conditions, and full tuition scholarships for students with high acceptance grades.  Under the ‘Student Communities’ project, students who move to Kiryat Malachi and Rahat receive a grant of tuition fees and living expenses in return for social activity within the towns.