Ben-Gurion University of the Negev was established with the aim to spearhead the development of the Negev, a desert area comprising more than sixty percent of the country. The University was inspired by the vision of Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, who believed that the future of the country lay in this region.

Today, Ben-Gurion University is a major center for teaching and research, with over 17,000 students enrolled in the faculties of Engineering Sciences, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Management and the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies. It also includes the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, the Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies and the Ben-Gurion Research Institute. The University has campuses in Beer-Sheva, including the Marcus Family Campus, and campuses in Sede Boqer and Eilat.

Ben-Gurion University is a world leader in arid zone research, offering its expertise to many developing countries. In keeping with its mandate, it plays a key role in promoting industry, agriculture and education in the Negev. Its students are known for their community-oriented activities, and thousands of them take part in special tutoring projects.

The University anticipates exciting challenges in innovative fields of research and it hopes to bring new opportunities to Beer-Sheva and the Negev while continuing its pursuit of academic excellence and expanding its contribution to the community.

• Ben-Gurion University of the Negev