Prevention is better than cure was the simple message of visiting Technion Professor Boaz Golany when he addressed the Technion Society of Australia's 50th Anniversary celebration.

The Technion, Israel's foremost and one of the world's leading science and technology universities, plays a pivotal role in developing counter measures which increase the chances of detection of terrorists while at the same time reducing the current level of personal intrusion at, for example, shopping centres where all bags and often people are physically searched.

Professor Golany is the Dean of Industrial Engineering and Management at the Technion in Haifa, Israel. He is also a leading researcher in the world of counter-terrorism and homeland security and currently co-heads a joint study with Yale University in the United States into this area.

Dr Ruth Ratner, President of the Technion Society of Australia (NSW) welcomed guests to the 50th anniversary supper which was held in the Scientia building at the University of NSW.

The Technion, Israel's oldest university started with just 16 students in 1924 and has grown to 12,500 in 2010.

"What was established to provide the engineers and architects of the embryonic state of Israel now underpins and is critical to Israel's science, engineering, industrial, defence, IT and economic sectors. It is central to Israel's growth as one of the world's leading high tech centres," Dr Ratner said.

"It has rightly earned its reputation as the MIT of the Middle East."

Under its new leadership team Dr Ratner emphasised the meaningful role the Technion Society plays in supporting this great Israeli institution.

Dr Ratner outlined a range of exciting initiatives by the Technion Society which included new collaborative and student exchange agreements with the University of Technology Sydney and University of NSW, a re-invigorated board, an active program of regular meetings with high profile Technion academics and the introduction of the Technion to Australian business.

She also launched the Technion Society's new website www.austechnion.com which has details for business, academics, students and people wishing to support the Technion through the Technion Society of Australia.