Safe Campus

A new system developed at the Technion is assisting the administration in optimizing the start of the academic year, with a focus on new students. Based on a business intelligence (BI) platform, the system allows relevant parties to manage classroom and lab assignments, allowing new students to study on campus rather than remotely. This helps them form connections with each other, get to know their instructors, and build learning networks.

Students at the Technion

Developed by Moti Yeger, head of Technion Libraries, at the initiative of Senior Vice President Prof. Oded Rabinovitch, the system was implemented with key contributions from Sergey Makhlin, deputy security officer in the Security and Emergency Unit; Revital Broiman from the Central Library; and staff members from the undergraduate teaching department: Nurit Wigotzky, Lina Ashrapov, and Rachel Movsisian.

Recently, Israel’s Home Front Command raised Haifa’s alert level to level 2, which restricts students from attending physical classes at the Technion campus. This alert level has far-reaching implications for the maximum number of people allowed in classrooms, labs, buildings, and on the entire Technion campus. These constraints must also factor in proximity to designated protected spaces, as specified by the Home Front Command.

Given the complexity of these factors, Technion developed a unique system that provides relevant authorities with a dynamic, accurate overview of student assignments to campus spaces and their proximity to protected areas. According to Moti Yeger, “It’s an advanced planning tool based on business intelligence (BI) that provides a dynamic map of spaces where activities – mainly teaching – can take place according to Home Front Command guidelines. One of its advantages is that if the guidelines change, we can update the system, instantly receive an updated map, and assign lectures and labs accordingly.”

Students at the Technion

According to Prof. Oded Rabinovitch, “The strategic decision by the Technion’s administration places new students as the top priority for on-campus learning. These students don’t yet know their peers or professors, and this familiarity is essential for building learning networks and sharing academic challenges. The next priority is for lab work, as hands-on lab experience is irreplaceable, and the Technion is doing its utmost to continue lab activities as usual. For those not assigned to on-campus learning, instructors and teaching assistants will facilitate online learning, whether interactively via Zoom or asynchronously through recordings combined with workshops and digital meetings. Collaboration across the campus, from academic and administrative staff, security units, and especially the students themselves, is essential for successful learning in these complex conditions. And of course, we eagerly await improvements in the situation that will allow a swift and full return to regular campus activity.”

The new system integrates two information sources – a map of protected spaces and a map of teaching classrooms and course assignments. Academic Secretary of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Efrat Nativ-Ronen explained that this integration provides an accurate overview essential for optimal classroom allocation on campus. For the Security and Emergency Unit, the system provides a real-time picture of expected campus occupancy, enabling the unit to ensure these numbers remain within Home Front Command limits. If the system detects an over-allocation, assignments are adjusted in advance.

Signage on campus has been updated to ensure a clear and quick path to protected spaces. A dedicated website has also been set up where students and staff can track course allocations across the campus. These current efforts are part of the continued enhancement of security and safety on campus since the outbreak of the war, including strengthening the security infrastructure, preparing shelters, distributing communication devices, and providing relevant training to various units.