Sapir, Israel's largest public college offers educational excellence and innovation, in a welcoming and diverse student-centered campus.
The College first opened its doors in 1963, as a Regional Adult Education Center to provide a range of training opportunities for local residents in the western Negev. In the early 1970’s, 15 local authorities joined to create The Pinchas Sapir Negev College (Michlelet HaNegev) on the site of the regional education center.
The College is named after Pinchas Sapir, who following Israel's founding, held many high ranking government posts and served as Israel's Minister of Finance and Minister of Trade & Industry. Due to his unwavering efforts to foster economic development especially in the Negev during the country's formative years, Sapir is often considered 'the father' of Israel's economy.
In 1975, three academic tracks were launched at the Sapir Negev College (under the auspices of Ben-Gurion University) awarding degrees in Behavioral Science, Economics and a General BA (Liberal Arts). In 1982, The Mechina Pre-College Program was established, and the Sapir Technological Center for Practical Engineering opened in 1984, providing Practical Engineering Diplomas.
In 1998, Israel's Council for Higher Education (CHE) granted the College an Academic Charter and licensed Sapir, as an independent degree granting institution of higher education. Then, in 2007, the CHE also granted the Sapir Academic College approval to award MA degrees in a number of disciplines. Over the last two decades, Sapir has grown and developed wide range of undergraduate programs, graduate degree tracks; as well as a First-Year Bridge Programs in Engineering and Sciences in association with Ben Gurion University. In 2009, The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Academic Library opened. It is the largest academic library in the western Negev, serving the College and local residents.
Our recent groundbreaking initiative is the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, its flagship project − HIE Sapir Labs, which provides entrepreneurial tools together with expert mentoring from accomplished faculty and leading professionals.