Prof. Eduard Yakubov

Uzbekistan: Love for mathematics

I was born in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, at the time a southern Republic of the USSR. Both my parents were educators, and education was a core value in our family. I received my early schooling in the outstanding educational system of the historical city of Kokand, and here I found my first love: Mathematics. When I was 15, I was ‘crowned’ Mathematics Champion of Uzbekistan for my age group. In high school, as VP of the city’s Youth Academy, I organized local Olympics in math, physics, chemistry, and technology.  

Graduating from high school with a Gold Medal, I chose to study mathematics at the University of Tashkent. Here I completed my BSc, MSc, and PhD degrees with Outstanding Distinction, then went on to become a lecturer, researcher, and Professor in the Department of Mathematics. In addition, I was involved in three industrial projects: a metallurgy factory, a reusable spacecraft, and optical fibers. 

Israel: From the Technion to HIT

In 1990, my wife and I, with our two daughters, finally realized our Zionist dream and settled in Israel. I was employed as a Senior Researcher at the Technion in Haifa, and my research went very well (I co-authored two books published by Springer), but something was missing: I wanted to use my knowledge and experience to do something meaningful for Israeli society, especially for the young generation.  

And then, almost by chance, I happened to visit HIT. When asked about my dreams, I responded immediately: “I want to establish a BSc program in Applied Mathematics.” HIT received me with open arms, and we established the program with partners from leading Israeli institutions, including the Technion, the Weizmann Institute, Tel Aviv University, and others. My next initiative was HIT’s Faculty of Science, opened with 60 students, and now attended by 1,750 students in four BSc and MSc programs.  I was appointed VP for Research, and at the end of 2013 I was elected President of HIT. 

My mission: Higher education for all

I am extremely happy and proud to serve as the President of HIT. This position gives me many opportunities to promote my strongest belief: that higher education is Israel’s most powerful growth engine, simultaneously advancing both our economy and our society. Accordingly, HIT has taken on a major mission: making academic education accessible to everyone from all sectors of Israeli society, including the socioeconomic peripheries. To this end we offer a vast range of programs, removing barriers and providing manifold means for achieving ultimate success. 

My vision: Mixing the ingredients 

Apart from my work, cooking is my favorite pastime. However, when my wife thinks that I am preparing a meal for the family, I actually conduct ‘experiments’ in my ‘cooking lab’: mixing all kinds of ingredients, to create something that’s completely new. 

I apply this same concept at HIT: combining different ‘ingredients’ – especially medicine with engineering, design, computer science, climate studies and sustainability – to create novel, multidisciplinary programs and research. And the outstanding, innovative results speak for themselves…