BGU aspires to be among the best inter-disciplinary research universities in the world, a leader in scientific innovation, inter-disciplinary research and applied sciences – all of which impact daily life. It is committed to social and environmental responsibility and is working to develop the Negev, Israel and the world.

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The only Israeli university created by government mandate, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) was established in 1969 with a mission to be an engine for the development of Israel’s Negev region.

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A long history of cooperation between the scientific and engineering faculty at BGU, and the clinicians at Soroka Medical Center has delivered ground-breaking translational research on many diseases. Examples include the identification of genetic causes and clinical risk factors for numerous diseases including the Carmi Syndrome (named after the current President of BGU – Prof. Rivka Carmi).

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BGU has five faculties with 51 academic departments and units: Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management.

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There are seven schools including the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies, the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School, the Leon and Mathilde Recanati School for Community Health Professions, the School of Pharmacy, the Inter-Faculty Brain Sciences School, the School for Medical Laboratory Sciences and the School of Continuing Medical Education.

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In addition, there are eight research institutes including the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, the Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, and Heksherim – The Research Institute for Jewish and Israeli Literature and Culture.

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These strong academic foundations offer a stable basis for the continuing development of the Negev Autism Center.