CHE • Council for Higher Education

CHE is an ENQA Affiliate.

CHE is the official authority for higher education in Israel and determines policy for the higher education system. The Council was founded pursuant to the Council for Higher Education Law in 1958 as an independent and unaffiliated statutory corporation. It was established in order to separate Israel’s political system from its higher education system, to prevent interference with academic freedom. The law defines CHE’s authority, composition and work methods.

The main roles of the Council for Higher Education are to:

• grant permits to institutions allowing them open and operate institutions of higher education;
• make proposals to recognized institutions to reinforce their standing, expand and develop them, including promoting academic collaboration between them for research and teaching purposes;
• submit proposals to the government – via the Planning and Budgeting Committee – to develop higher education in Israel and regarding government contributions to the higher education system based on social and national needs and priorities. The CHE will make recommendations to the government regarding establishment of additional institutions of higher education or the merger of existing institutions;
• grant licenses to open extensions of international institutions of higher education;
• assess the quality of studies at the various institutions of higher education.