Bar-Ilan President Expands Research Ecosystem And Student Support

Bar-Ilan University president Prof. Arie Zaban outlines leadership practices and institutional initiatives in a Jan. 11, 2026 profile, describing roughly 30% enrollment growth since 2017 and expansion into interdisciplinary programs like HealthTech Valley. He recounts rapid COVID-19 and wartime responses — including 500 eyeglasses distributed, a national emotional-support hotline, and AI-assisted learning adaptations for more than 5,000 reservist students — and emphasizes service, collaboration, and long-term institutional impact.