As Chinese investors flock to Israel in search of new technologies, top universities there are forging cooperation agreements with their Chinese counterparts and firms for R&D as well as technology transfer services.

For instance, Haifa University, known for its science research, is working on a joint research laboratory with East China Normal University. The lab, funded by the Chinese government, will focus on big data, neural biology and other medical areas.

Amos Shapira, president of Haifa university, said the proposed research center would help bring more Israeli technologies to China and push the envelope of technology by partnering with leading Chinese scientists.