Israeli Universities/colleges, counter-terrorism

[Doubleshott]

Howdy,

Somewhat unusual question but I am sure someone on here knows something or can point me in the right direction at least.

To be clear, I am looking for fact and some conjecture.

Israeli universities:

Firstly, how do they compare to UK/US universities at a grad level? are they en-par or slightly below? In quality, rankings, reception in the rest of the world etc. ?

Secondly (and this is a a far more specific question), does anybody know anything about this school?:

http://www.ict.org.il/

It is affiliated to an interdisciplinary school that I cant seem to find much on: http://portal.idc.ac.il/en/main/homepage/Pages/homepage.aspx

I'm interested in the areas of counter-terrorism and was interested in killing two birds with one stone, doing an MA and improving my arabic, which I could potentially do it at the above school. I figured that few countries have the experience that Israel does when it comes to this field, teach in English, have case studies on their doorstep and have sizable arabic communities that I could practice/learn from.

However, I am afraid of both being scammed financially and with an education, so little seems to be readily available on the internet.

Any advice, relevant hearsay or sharing of experience of this or (other Israeli institutions) would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[edost]

I'm an Israeli, and I've never heard of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism. As for the IDC, it's a well-known private college. It isn't a university - and in Israel, there is a big difference between colleges and universities. Colleges are more focused on teaching undergraduates and aren't as good academically as universities, which focus on research. So if you want a respectable Israeli degree, go to a university.

Hebrew University and Tel-Aviv University are considered the best universities in Israel (other than the Technion and Weitzman Institute, but those two only have exact sciences). You'd have to check field specific rankings, but I know that in social sciences generally Israeli universities are very good. They're not Harvard or Cambridge, but they are at the same level as other first-tier American and British universities. Hebrew U. and TAU are are in the 101-150 range in PoliSci, for instance, according to this ranking.

[fenderpete]

Out of interest, why are you thinking Israel rather than somewhere in the Arabic-speaking world for learning Arabic? I've heard very good things about the American University in Beirut and Cairo. Unfortunately Syria is kind of off the table at the minute.

Edited August 6, 2011 by fenderpete

[Doubleshott]

Out of interest, why are you thinking Israel rather than somewhere in the Arabic-speaking world for learning Arabic? I've heard very good things about the American University in Beirut and Cairo. Unfortunately Syria is kind of off the table at the minute.

Its a relatively unsual sub-field that only a number of places in the world specialise in. This place in Israel is one of the few that do it.

I am probably going the route of Kings College London's war studies deptartment, but if they are the same price (relatively) and the educational apsect is respected (which with your first comment I am in a slightly more doubt of) then I would literally be able to look at case studies first hand, practice my arabic freuqently (I realise there are lots of arabic speakers in London) and recieve a much more pratical education than I probably would at KCL.

In any case it is merely an idea.

[fenderpete]

Fair enough. My comment was mainly because language learning is a lot easier when you're forced to use it every day - and I'm not sure that'd be the case in London or Israel.

[Doubleshott]

Well thanks for your help and advice nonetheless, my principal inquiry was the level of academic rigour, both actual and percieved.