Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, located in the southern Israeli city of Be'er-Sheva, was founded in 1969, and currently has some 20,000 students. Ben-Gurion University is one of Israel's major research universities with a focus on the Natural, Social & Medical Sciences, the Humanities & Engineering and plays a major role in fueling Israel's world-leading high tech industry. Besides its excellence in education and research, with its vibrant student life, Ben-Gurion University was voted the most popular university by Israeli students.