About
Gordon Academic College of Education
A 70-year legacy of training teachers in Israel’s North — multicultural, inclusive and research-driven.
Our College
One of Israel’s oldest teacher-training colleges.
Established in 1953, Gordon Academic College has trained thousands of teachers, kindergarten teachers, school principals and education-system functionaries who today form a considerable portion of the leadership of Israel’s education system. Our teaching faculty includes several of the country’s top academia, education and research professionals.
Over 7,500 students from across the North study in our academic programmes. The college is a multicultural bridge between the various sectors of Israeli society. Jews, Druze, Arabs, religious, secular, Haredi, new immigrants and special-needs students study at Gordon. We are one of the most advanced teacher colleges in the State of Israel and an innovation leader in teaching for diverse classrooms.
70
Years training teachers
#1
Teaching colleges in IL ranked
2018
National Quality Award
Gordon Academic College · Mount Carmel, Haifa
About the International Center
A dedicated unit for global academic engagement.
The International Center at Gordon Academic College of Education was established in 2012 as the college’s formal gateway to the international academic community. We operate at the intersection of teacher education, multicultural pedagogy and cross-border institutional cooperation.
Our mandate is to build and sustain meaningful academic partnerships, with universities, research institutions, government bodies, UN agencies and philanthropic foundations, that advance the quality of teacher education in Israel and abroad.
What we do
Our work is organized around three core areas:
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International Academic Partnerships and Projects
We initiate, coordinate and participate in international cooperation projects, including Erasmus+ Capacity Building, bilateral government-funded research and philanthropic initiatives. Since our establishment, Gordon has participated in over 29 international projects across more than a dozen countries.
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Student and Staff Mobility
We manage the full lifecycle of Erasmus+ KA171 mobility for incoming and outgoing students and staff. Gordon holds active inter-institutional agreements with 26 partner universities across 12 European countries.
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Multicultural Education Leadership
Through our Center for International Relations, Programs and Multicultural Education, we advance teacher training in diversity, inclusion and coexistence for Israel’s diverse communities and international partners.
Our History
From a national college to a global network.
2012 · Foundation
Gordon Academic College established the International Center as a dedicated unit to formalize and expand the college’s global academic engagement.
2014–2017 · European partnerships and Erasmus+
Under the leadership of Prof. Rhonda Sofer, the Center coordinated Gordon’s entry into European Commission educational programs, beginning with TEMPUS and continuing through multiple Erasmus+ Capacity Building initiatives.
2018 · Expansion into Latin America
The International Center began active collaboration with Latin American institutions, creating new opportunities for academic exchange, joint research and educational cooperation.
2019 · Launch of the International Student Program
Gordon College opened a full degree pathway for international students seeking a B.Ed. and Israeli teaching certification.
Today
The International Center manages active international projects, faculty and student mobility, joint research initiatives, cross-border workshops and an expanding network of institutional partnerships.
Our Mission
Leaders for a multicultural classroom, locally and globally.
Gordon’s mission is to prepare educators ready to teach and lead in multicultural environments. Through the International Center, we extend that commitment beyond Israel, enhancing the exchange of knowledge, promoting collaborative research and supporting the joint development of innovative teacher-training programs with partner institutions worldwide.
We pursue this mission through four strategic commitments:
Educational leadership
Empowering every student to become a leader and innovator in complex, diverse societies.
Accessible excellence
Providing high-quality teacher education that combines academic rigor with practical training.
Sustainable partnerships
Building long-term academic relationships that advance curriculum reform and inclusion.
Intercultural research and practice
Fostering intercultural understanding through collaborative research and professional growth.
Our Vision
A recognized international hub for teacher education.
We envision Gordon Academic College of Education as a recognized international hub for teacher education, where multiculturalism, social justice, humanist values and educational equity are daily practice.
Internationally, we aspire to be a leading partner institution for organizations and universities committed to educational innovation, diversity and social impact.
Together with our global network, we are united by a shared commitment to educational equity, humanistic values and the professional development of educators from diverse backgrounds.
Academic offer
Programmes
Gordon offers two academic cycles, a Bachelor of Education with teaching certificate and a Master of Education designed to provide professional advancement to current and aspiring teachers, educators and school professionals.
Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)
With teaching certificate in the following fields:
✓ English
✓ Science
✓ Mathematics
✓ Bible
✓ Literature
✓ Communication
✓ Language
✓ Israel Culture & Heritage
✓ Special Education
✓ Early Childhood
Inclusive Education (M.Ed.)
Research foundations and techniques for inclusive classrooms and kindergartens, aimed at upgrading educators’ skills around integration, involvement and well-being.
Educational Leadership and Administration (M.Ed.)
Academic foundations and techniques for school leadership and management in formal and informal educational systems.
Teaching, Learning and Mentoring (M.Ed.)
Theoretical and practical techniques in instructional methods, teacher mentoring and interactional skills.
M.Teach.
A Master’s degree with a high-school teaching certificate for individuals who already hold a Bachelor’s degree in the Arts.
Additional programmes
Retraining of academics; professional development and continuing studies; diploma studies; pre-academic studies; and Gordon’s Excellence Program, aimed at outstanding students who benefit from a full tuition scholarship and a special stipend on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Gordon Academic College.
Why partner with us
A perspective few teacher-training institutions can offer.
Gordon Academic College brings a perspective that few teacher-training institutions in the world can offer: decades of experience preparing educators to work in genuinely multicultural, multilingual and socially complex environments.
For institutions seeking a committed, experienced and academically rigorous partner in teacher education, Gordon’s International Center offers:
✓ A proven track record in European and international cooperation projects.
✓ Deep expertise in inclusive education, multicultural pedagogy and teacher training.
✓ A unique geographical and cultural position as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.
✓ A dedicated team with experience in project coordination, mobility management and cross-cultural academic collaboration.
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Where we are
Gordon Academic College of Education, Haifa, Israel, on the slopes of Mount Carmel, with a free cable car connecting the campus to the Mediterranean shoreline at Bat Galim.
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Recognition
Recognised by the Israeli Council for Higher Education (CHE / MALAG). Cooperates with European universities holding the ECHE 2021–2027 through Erasmus+ as a Partner Country institution.
