After it was noticed that a website page was “not found”, the University of Sydney has confirmed that the medical exchange program with Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and the Technion Medical Exchange scholarship will not be available in 2025.
A University spokesperson stated that “the link to the Technion scholarship page has been unpublished for the time being as the scholarship for the placement has not been awarded for next year,” attributing this decision to the “current expert travel advice for Israel.”
Taking place between December and February, the international placement for Doctor of Medicine students was advertised earlier this year, with up to $5,000 offered in an elective term scholarship.
The Technion medical exchange, in collaboration with USyd’s Faculty of Medicine and Health, has been the subject of criticism due to Technion’s involvement in the development of D9 bulldozers used to demolish Palestinian homes. In August, students and staff protested the medical school’s exchange program with Technion.
Israel remains listed on the USyd website as one of the countries where international placements are offered for students studying Medicine and Health.
Technion Australia’s website states that “scholarships are currently available for the University of Sydney Medical Exchange Program, University of New South Wales Exchange Program, the University of Technology Sydney Exchange Program and University of Newcastle Exchange Program”.
The website also redirects students to USyd for information regarding placement while “up to two student places” are considered for Technion medical students seeking to undertake a placement in Australia.
Documents obtained via a FOI request earlier this month had confirmed that “as of June 2024, USyd had active exchange agreements to send students to Belazel Academy of Arts and Design, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and Tel Aviv University”. The exchange with Technion expires in 2028.
The University had previously stated that the January 2025 session of the OLES2155: ‘Experience Israel’ unit with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will not be going ahead due to ongoing travel advice while the Sydney College of the Arts (SCA) exchange program with the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design is set to expire in September, pending renewal.
As of publication, the scholarship webpage has been restored and the dates for the scholarship labelled as “TBC”, with a note that the scholarship will not be awarded in 2025.
In a comment to Honi Soit, Jacob Starling from Students Against War (SAW) said,
“USyd took down the scholarship for its webpage only to republish it when students asked USyd why the link was down. After telling students that the link was down due to travel advice, USyd has decided to republish the scholarship online despite knowing no students will be able to travel to Israel given government travel advice.”
Jacob continued, “This shows just how firmly USyd wants to stand by Israel’s side as it genocides Palestinians. This exchange program and all exchange programs must be cut immediately. By refusing to do so, USyd continues to whitewash Israel’s war crimes and continues to be complicit in genocide and supporting an apartheid state.
The exchange program with Technion must never run again, and USYD must cut all ties with Israel. Students and staff will continue to build that fight next year.”
Advertising with the phrase “Israel’s resilience and determination to win”, Technion Australia’s 100-year grand event will be held in Melbourne and Sydney on December 3 and 4 respectively. Students Against War (SAW) will be protesting the Sydney event at 6pm.
