The Leon Charney School of Marine Sciences (CSMS), established in 2008 has become an academic center of excellence on the eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) and at the forefront of marine research in Israel. Our mission is to provide science-based insights facilitating proactive policies and regulation that will enable a sustainable future for the Mediterranean Sea. We at CSMS aim to carry out scientific research on an international level, to train the next generation of marine scientists, educators and policy makersin Israel, and to lead national, regional and international discourse on topics related to the Mediterranean Sea and especially the EMS. Currently, the largest academic center of marine science in Israel, CSMS is a graduate school comprising four departments: 
• The Department of Maritime Civilizations [ MA, PhD ]
• The Dr. Moses Strauss Department of Marine Geosciences [ MSc, PhD ]
• The Department of Marine Biology [ MSc, PhD ]
• The Hatter Department of Marine Technologies [ MSc, PhD ]

CSMS interdisciplinary research addresses issues in marine sciences regarding past, present, and future marine ecosystems applying and developing cutting edge technologies. We also offer a joint program in National security and Maritime Strategy Studies with the School of Political Sciences (MA, PhD). 

Location and facilities: The main hub of CSMS research laboratories and teaching facilities is located on the Carmel Mountain Campus, overlooking the Mediterranean. Our research sites include three coastal research centers with easy accessibility to the Mediterranean.  These comprise the Hatter Department of Marine Technologies laboratories and The Helmsley Mediterranean Sea Research Center developing and operating state-of-theart underwater vehicles. The Morris Kahn Marine Research Station at Sdot-Yam and another facility in Ashdod are long-term marine ecological research stations that focus on coastal water research and long-term monitoring of the ecology and biology of the coastal Mediterranean.