The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is a leading environmental studies and research program in the Middle East. It houses academic programs in partnership with Ben Gurion University, research centers, and international cooperation initiatives focusing on a range of environmental concerns and challenges.

With a student body comprised of Jordanians, Palestinians, Israelis, and students from around the world, the Arava Institute offers students an exceptional opportunity to learn from leading professionals while forming friendships and developing skills that enable them to lead the region and the world in solving today’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Here, the idea that nature knows no political borders is more than a belief. It is a fact, a curriculum, and a way of life.

The Arava Institute was founded in 1996 in the wake of the Oslo agreements as an academic and research center for environmental leadership in the Middle East. The initial Arava Program, a two semester academic program, offered undergraduate or graduate credit through the Overseas Study Program of Tel Aviv University. Today, the Arava Program is in partnership with Ben Gurion University. The Arava Institute began its Masters track with Ben Gurion University in 2002 in order to give students the opportunity to study at two leading environmental institutions and build upon the skills they developed at the Arava Institute. In 2012, AIES launched a Minor in Environmental Studies through Ben-Gurion University. This one-year program is available for Israeli undergraduates and can be combined with a major in humanities to complete their undergraduate degree.