UK-Israel Science Council

What UK-Israel Science Council does

The UK-Israel Science Council is a bilateral science collaboration initiative operated by the British Council in Israel, with formal backing from the British Embassy in Israel, the UK Science and Innovation Network, and the Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology. Its flagship programmes are BIRAX (the UK-Israel Initiative for Excellence in Biomedical Science, launched 2011), which has invested over £15 million in chronic disease research and over £1 million in travel grants for early career researchers, and the Wohl Clean Growth Alliance (2021), which funds UK-Israel research in food, water, and energy with grants of up to US$3,500 per month for research visits. Customer segments are persona-based (early career researchers, established researchers, principal investigators, and data science students) rather than paying enterprise accounts, and distribution runs through direct partnerships with UK and Israeli universities plus the British Council's Science & Innovation Network.

The operating parent, the British Council, is a UK-registered charity (founded 1934; charity numbers 209131 in England and Wales, SC037733 in Scotland) operating in over 100 countries with 191 offices globally, and has maintained an Israel presence since 1950. British Council Israel delivers a broader portfolio beyond science, including English Online subscription courses, EnglishScore proficiency assessment, IELTS test administration in Israel, teacher training (Routes to Excellence and Hornby Scholarships for Master's study at the University of Warwick), and consumer learning apps (LearnEnglish Grammar, LearnEnglish Sounds Right, Johnny Grammar's Word Challenge, Premier Skills English).

The business model is non-commercial grant-making and bilateral cooperation rather than fee-for-service revenue—funds flow in from government and philanthropic partners (British Embassy, UK SIN, Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Wohl Foundation) and flow out as research grants, mobility fellowships, and travel stipends to researchers and institutions. Pricing details explicitly confirm that no commercial pricing applies to the core science programs.

Name

UK-Israel Science Council

Legal name

British Council

Website

https://britishcouncil.org.il

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The UK-Israel Science Council is a bilateral science collaboration initiative operated by the British Council in Israel, funding UK-Israeli research partnerships (BIRAX biomedical programme, Wohl Clean Growth Alliance) for early career researchers, established scientists, and data science students across UK and Israeli universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Research Collaboration Services

akta.pro primary industry

International Science, Technology & Space Cooperation Organizations (BPADAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ), Research Collaboration & Joint Labs (International Partnerships) (EDAIABAC), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Bilateral science collaboration
• Biomedical research funding
• Research mobility grants
• Clean growth research
• Scientific fellowship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Giv'atayim

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The UK-Israel Science Council facilitates bilateral scientific research collaboration between UK and Israeli researchers through grant programmes, mobility fellowships, and travel grants. Its flagship offerings include the BIRAX initiative (investing over £15 million in chronic disease and ageing research since 2011) and the Wohl Clean Growth Alliance (clean growth research in food, water, and energy), alongside travel grants totalling more than £1 million for early career researchers.

Product overview

The British Council in Israel operates as a cultural relations and educational organisation offering a comprehensive portfolio of English language learning products and services. The core offerings include English Online (a 100% online interactive course with teacher-led classes), IELTS testing services (the world's most popular English proficiency test), and EnglishScore (a quick proficiency test). The product ecosystem extends through mobile applications (LearnEnglish Grammar, LearnEnglish Sounds Right, Johnny Grammar's Word Challenge), websites (LearnEnglish for adults, LearnEnglish Kids for children aged 5-12, LearnEnglish Teens for teenagers, Premier Skills English), and tutoring services (EnglishScore Tutors). For teachers, the British Council provides professional development through Routes to Excellence teacher training programmes, Hornby Scholarships for Master's study in the UK, and the TeachingEnglish resource portal. Science collaboration is facilitated through the BIRAX Programme (UK-Israel chronic disease research) and the Wohl Clean Growth Alliance (clean energy research grants and fellowships). These products function as a unified educational services ecosystem spanning language learning, assessment, teacher development, and international research collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BIRAX: BIRAX is the UK-Israel Initiative for Excellence in Biomedical Science, investing in cutting-edge biomedical research partnerships between UK and Israeli scientists
• Wohl Clean Growth Alliance
• EnglishScore
• English Online
• Learning Time with Timmy
• Routes to Excellence

Products and services

• BIRAX Programme UK-Israel biomedical research initiative investing in chronic disease and ageing research partnerships between UK and Israeli scientists, with associated travel grants for early career researcher mobility.
• Wohl Clean Growth Alliance UK-Israel research collaboration programme funded by the Wohl Legacy Foundation focusing on clean growth in food, water, and energy sectors, offering grants and fellowships to researchers.
• Wohl Clean Growth Alliance Fellowships Fellowships providing funding up to US$3,500 per month for research visits between UK and Israeli researchers under the Wohl Clean Growth Alliance.
• UK-Germany-Israel Data Science Exchange Programme Trilateral data science mobility exchange programme connecting data science students from UK, Israel, and German research centres (via the Helmholtz Information and Data Science Academy and the Israel Data Science Initiative).
• Science Newsletter Email newsletter subscription providing updates on funding opportunities, call for proposals, and science events related to British Council science programmes in Israel.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £15 million invested in innovative research since 2011
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UK Science and Innovation Network in IsraelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021The UK Science and Innovation Network (SIN) in Israel works closely with the British Council to promote UK-Israel research collaborations. SIN is part of the UK government's global science diplomacy network.
• Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (Israel)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Israeli government ministry partnering with British Council on the Wohl Clean Growth Alliance and other bilateral science programs. Provides governmental endorsement and co-funding for UK-Israel research collaborations.
• British Embassy in IsraelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011British Embassy Tel Aviv provides diplomatic support and co-funding for UK-Israel science collaboration programs including BIRAX and other bilateral research initiatives. The Embassy serves as a key government partner in facilitating science cooperation between the two countries.
• UK and Israeli Universities and Research InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institutions in both countries participating in BIRAX and other UK-Israel science programs. Includes leading universities and research centers from UK and Israel.
• UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK centralized university admissions portal used by international students. British Council refers students to UCAS for undergraduate applications to UK institutions.
• UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInformation resource for international students studying in the UK. British Council refers students to UKCISA for comprehensive guidance on studying in the UK.
• Helmholtz Information & Data Science Academy (HIDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman research network providing data science exchange opportunities. UK scientists can participate in the trilateral UK-Germany-Israel data science exchange program through HIDA's network of research centers.
• Israel Data Science Initiative (IDSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates data science research activities across Israeli universities. Partners in the trilateral data science exchange program connecting UK, Israel, and German researchers.
• EURAXESS United KingdomminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK portal for academic funding opportunities and jobs. British Council Israel provides links to EURAXESS for researchers seeking funding and career opportunities in the UK.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: Major UK charitable foundation funding biomedical and health research globally. Comparable as a UK-based philanthropic research funder that partners with Israeli institutions, including those participating in BIRAX and related programs.
• Israel Science Foundation (ISF): Israel's primary national granting agency for basic research across all disciplines. Comparable as the dominant Israeli-side research funder and partner network that UK-Israel Science Council programs channel through.
• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: German government-funded foundation supporting international scientific collaboration through fellowships and research awards. Comparable in administering bilateral researcher mobility and selection-based grants on a much larger scale.
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI): The UK's main public funder of research and innovation across all disciplines. Comparable as a UK-side anchor funder for collaborative research, but operates at a vastly larger scale and across all fields rather than a UK-Israel bilateral focus.

Direct peers

• German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (GIF): Bilateral foundation jointly funded by the German and Israeli governments to support scientific cooperation. Closely mirrors the UK-Israel Science Council model of country-pair research grants, mobility funding, and institutional partnerships.
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service): Germany's national agency for international academic mobility and research cooperation. Directly comparable in mission — funding researcher mobility, fellowships, and bilateral partnerships — and an active counterpart for similar UK or German programs.
• Israel-US Binational Science Foundation (BSF): Bilateral government-funded foundation that supports collaborative scientific research between Israeli and American researchers. Directly comparable in structure and mission to the UK-Israel Science Council as a country-pair research funding vehicle.
• Newton Fund (UK government): UK government initiative to build science and innovation partnerships with emerging economies. Operates a similar bilateral research-funding and mobility-grant model to the UK-Israel Science Council, including with Israel as a partner country.

Regional players

• Azrieli Foundation: Major Canadian-Israeli philanthropic foundation funding Israeli academic research, scholarships, and science infrastructure. Comparable as a philanthropic anchor for Israeli science capacity, similar in role to the Wohl Foundation for UK-Israel programs.

Emerging players

• Helmholtz Association: Germany's largest scientific organization operating research centers in energy, health, and data science. Already a named strategic partner in the trilateral UK-Germany-Israel data science exchange, making it a directly overlapping institutional counterpart.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ilbritish
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BritishCouncilIsrael
• Facebookfacebook.com/britishcouncilisrael
• Instagraminstagram.com/britishcouncilisrael
• TikToktiktok.com/@britishcouncilenglish

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UK-Israel Science Council