The $130 million donation by Chinese billionaire Li Ka-shing to the Israel Technology Institute of Haifa, or Technion, caused a media frenzy in Israel last week, on Sept. 29, because of its extraordinary size. It is, however, only part of a larger, much more interesting story about Israel’s role in the academic revolution currently under way in China.

The interaction between China’s vision of itself becoming a technological superpower and a key player in the global high-tech industry and Israeli academic institutions is constantly producing new joint ventures. It turns out that the Chinese are big fans of Israeli knowledge and achievement in these fields, and they consider higher education in Israel a model worthy of emulation.

Li Ka-shing, the wealthiest man in China, has already invested in the Israeli navigation system Waze. His donation to the Technion allows him to fulfill his dream and become a leader of his country’s academic revolution. According to a memorandum of understanding signed last week in Haifa, a branch of the Technion will be created in China to teach technology, the sciences and engineering in conjunction with the local Shantou University. Starting this year, the Technion will train Chinese researchers and doctoral students, who will become the core of the branch’s first teaching faculty.

Earlier this month, the Council for Higher Education released an outline for academic cooperation between the two countries over the next five years. The plan is ambitious, impressive and very expensive. Each year, it will enable hundreds of Chinese students pursuing their degrees, including post-doctoral students, to integrate into Israeli institutions of higher learning and conduct joint research with their Israeli colleagues, especially in fields related to technology. Based on this program, Chinese students are expected to start attending Israeli universities over the coming year. Their studies will be funded by a joint foundation.