October 31st, 2011, marks the opening of the 2011-2012 academic year at JCE. Enrollment has reached 2,000 students including 580 freshmen who were chosen from nearly double that amount of applicants. 30% of these new students are female – a relatively high number for women studying engineering in Israel.
JCE first opened its doors 12 years ago with 72 students in 2 departments. The college has vastly grown since then and is opening a 6th department this year, the Department of Mechanical Engineering. JCE is the only institute of higher education in Jerusalem where a degree in Mechanical Engineering can be obtained and is proudly helping stem the negative migration of talented students who leave the city to study this field. In addition, approximately 30% of JCE’s students come from outside of Jerusalem which adds to the city’s positive migration of talented young adults.
The largest department in JCE remains the Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering which was founded and operates in cooperation with TEVA Pharmaceuticals. This department is one-of-a-kind in the country and now utilizes its new laboratories that were custom built in 2010.
The year began with an opening ceremony at which the College’s President Uzi Wexler and Vice President and CEO Shlomtzion Lulu addressed the students as did guest speaker MK Gila Gamliel, Deputy Minister for the Advancement of Young People, Students and Women in the Prime Minister’s Office.
