Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1935-08-01 · 8.1935 · p. Seite 399

2.—THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY. The Hebrew University completed this year the tenth anniversary of its official inauguration. While the difficult financial •condition of the University (dwelt upon in the previous report) was only partly ameliorated, nevertheless the past two years have been marked by rapid development and notable achievements. Foremost among such factors was the special function which the University was called upon to fulfil in absorbing German Jewish refugees. While universities abroad were able to furnish only a provisional remedy, the Hebrew University on the other hand announced its desire to make the new positions offered as permanent as possible. Until now the University has received from various sources the sum of over £P. 13,000 for its German refugee-scholar scheme. With these and other funds, eighteen scholars have been admitted to its academic staff during the past three years. There are now 91 members on the staff. Another factor which led to the formulation of a more stable University constitution was the appointment of the Survey Commission of the Board of Governors, which carried out a study of the University's academic and administrative structure in 1934, and submitted a report to the Board of Governors. It should also be noted that with the increase in graduates, and the research activity in practical problems allied to the upbuilding of the country, the interest shown by the Jewish public in Palestine and abroad in the University has considerably grown. Research.—Several departments of the University continued during the past two years to devote attention to important practical problems in the upbuilding of the country, in addition to purely scientific research. A proof is the fact that increased grants have been made by other institutions for the investigation of specific questions by the University. Malaria, cattle and poultry diseases, and field-mice pest, were some of the problems engaged upon. The preparation of a Soils Specimen Archives in connection with well-borings, and the investigation of means to combat insect pests were also initiated. The Palestine Government for the first time made small grants for specific researches in some of the foregoing. The Hebrew University Press continued to publish original works, translations and its two periodical reviews, Tarbitz and Kirjath-Sepher. I instruction.—There was an increase in the number of subjects taught for graduation purposes to regular students in the Humanities and Biology. The student body grew, particularly from Poland and partly also from Germany. In 1933-34 the number of students was 321; in 1934-35 it had risen to 450. Fifty-eight students have hitherto obtained their M.A. degrees. Most of them are employed in Palestine schools, others are in Jewish schools abroad, and 399