NEW YORK (Press Release) — Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Harvard University have launched a new initiative that promises to strengthen the American higher education sector’s engagement with Israeli institutions.
The new collaboration announced this week will offer undergraduate students at Harvard College year-round opportunities to study and earn credit toward their degree at BGU beginning in spring 2026.
“The new collaboration between Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Harvard University marks a powerful validation of BGU’s global leadership and will provide an excellent opportunity for students to discover Israel,” said Doug Seserman, CEO, Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU).
Opportunities for Harvard students at BGU could include an archaeology course that sends students to help on active excavations; marine science courses on the Mediterranean Sea; and a sustainable agricultural practices course focused on preventing desertification and conserving resources. All courses are taught in English, with visiting students sharing classrooms with Israeli students to facilitate conversation and cross-cultural exchange.
“We are thrilled to work with BGU to provide this new opportunity for undergraduate study abroad,” said Mark Elliott, Harvard’s Vice Provost for International Affairs. “The collaboration with BGU is the latest in Harvard’s long and rich history of engagement with institutions of higher education across Israel, and I have no doubt that it will contribute both to transformative experiences for students, and to increased academic collaboration across the region in the coming years.”
Amanda Claybaugh, Dean of Undergraduate Education at Harvard College, added, “I’m delighted that we’re adding BGU to the list of Israeli universities where our students can study abroad, because BGU offers opportunities that aren’t available here at Harvard: learning about archaeology at a dig site, about marine biology in the Mediterranean, about climate and sustainability from the world’s leaders in desert agriculture.”
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Preceding provided by Americans for Ben-Gurion University