Higher Education Among The Arab Minority In Israel: The Demand For The Establishment Of The First Arab University

Abstract

This study aims to explore the issue of higher education within the Arab minority in Israel by engaging in a comprehensive discussion about their demand to establish the first Arab university. Higher education plays a pivotal role in shaping society by influencing its economic and social development and reducing disparities between central and peripheral regions. For minority groups worldwide, it has become a key avenue for empowerment and societal advancement, often serving as a foundation for the development of national movements and the strengthening of national identity. This study focuses on the demand of the Arab minority in Israel to establish the first Arab university. The study examines the specific case of the Arab minority in Israel, highlighting the political, social, and economic dimensions underlying their call for an Arab university. The study discusses findings from qualitative research, using in-depth interviews with Arab local government employees, Arab and Jewish academics and politicians to explore the extent of support for an Arab university in Israel and to elucidate arguments for and against this proposal. The study indicates that like minority universities in other countries, an Arab university could meet particular needs of the Palestinian Arab minority in Israel and promoted the social, political and economic status of this minority.