The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa awarded doctoral degrees to 258 students during a ceremony last week, the institute announced.
The recipients came from 12 countries, including China, Russia, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and South Korea. Nearly half, 47%, were women.
The youngest student to receive a doctoral degree was 25, and the oldest was 68.
The Faculty of Medicine had the most recipients, awarding 44 students the doctoral degree, followed by the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering with 23 students and the Faculty of Computer Science with 22 recipients.
The institute further added that the dissertations were written on a wide array of subjects, such as the barn owl's navigation system, psychosomatic mechanism, blockchain technology, and planetary dynamics, among other topics.
'Go forth and succeed'
"Today, as you receive your PhD, the next phase of your life journey begins a journey in which every breakthrough, every innovative idea, holds the potential to change lives, address global challenges, and pave the way for a better future," Technion President Professor Uri Sivan said at the ceremony.
"Remember, with your capabilities comes great responsibility. Remember that the professional dilemmas you will face will always have social, environmental, and ethical contexts, and it is your responsibility to ensure that these are taken into account. Go forth and succeed – and do good," he added.
Professor Uri Peskin, Dean of the Jacobs Graduate School, told the international students, "The trust you placed in us and your support during these difficult times are not taken for granted. Your standing by our side strengthens us, and we greatly appreciate it. I hope we have provided you with the appropriate training and the tools you need to create the future you seek for yourselves."
"At this time, we are all in pain in one way or another—whether directly or indirectly affected by the war and its horrors. We are worried and anxious about the near and distant future. Despite this, and without ignoring the extreme situation, tonight we will focus on what we have and what is good. Because despite everything, we have much to be proud of, and we also have much to be grateful for," he further added in Hebrew.
In mid-August, the Technion ranked 85th in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.