Israeli universities warn gender-segregated degree tracks will create ‘second-class’ qualifications

Israeli universities have raised serious concerns about a controversial law that would allow separate educational tracks for men and women at master’s and doctoral level. The amendment, which has already passed its second and third readings in the Knesset, has prompted warnings from academic leaders that it could undermine equality, teaching quality, and the standing of advanced degrees in the country. University officials have argued there is no justification for segregating students in research laboratories and seminars at postgraduate level, where collaborative work is central to academic progress. The concerns highlight a deepening divide between the ultra-Orthodox community, which backs the measure, and Israel’s mainstream academic establishment over gender separation in higher education. Supporters of the legislation argue the separate tracks will remove barriers facing ultra-Orthodox women and increase their earning potential by allowing them to pursue degrees within their community’s religious framework. However, universities fear the move will create a two-tier system where degrees awarded through segregated programmes carry less weight or credibility than those from mixed cohorts, potentially disadvantaging women graduates in the job market. The academic community’s opposition reflects broader concerns about how gender segregation in education might affect Israel’s commitment to equal opportunity and its standing as a knowledge-based economy.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.