Right after leading American universities – Stanford, MIT, UC Berkeley and Harvard.
Tel Aviv University was ranked fifth in the world in the ranking of Startup Genome (a world-leading innovation policy advisory and research firm) for 2021. The prestigious ranking reflects the involvement of alumni of the world’s leading universities in entrepreneurship, and in the establishment of scale up companies (companies that have advanced beyond the startup stage and their worth is estimated at $50m or more).
Remarkable Academic Achievement
The top four institutions in the ranking are leading American universities – Stanford, MIT, UC Berkeley, and Harvard, with Tel Aviv University coming right after. In fact, Tel Aviv University is the only non-American university in the ranking’s top 10, which also include Cornell, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University.
According to the ranking, about 1,300 TAU alumni have founded active companies in a vast range of areas over the last decades, and about 40 of these have attained the status of scale up companies.
This designation joins the PitchBook’s, which annually places TAU among the top 10 institutions producing venture capital-backed entrepreneurs. Here too, TAU is the only non-American university ranked in the top 10 .
Prof. Moshe Zviran, Dean of the Coller School of Management and Chief Entrepreneurship and Innovation Officer at TAU: “This is a very significant achievement for both Tel Aviv University and the State of Israel. The Startup Genome ranking is a standard of entrepreneurial excellence of the highest level in the world. Israel in general, and TAU as its leading entrepreneurial university, form fertile ground for uniquely creative young entrepreneurs who establish independent companies and hold key positions in the world’s leading corporations. The rich toolbox which our students acquire during their studies serves them well when they enter the job market. We are proud of our alumni and students for this achievement and will continue to fortify TAU’s position in the top echelons of global entrepreneurship.”
(Left to right): President of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Prof. Daniel Chamovitz, Minister of External Affairs of India , Dr S. Jaishankar, and President of Tel Aviv University, Prof. Ariel Porat.
All photos by Shlomi Amsalem, Courtesy of Tel Aviv University
Meeting of Israeli university presidents and senior leadership with Dr S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India.
Tel Aviv University hosted a meeting of Israeli university presidents with Dr S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India. The Minister met with university presidents and senior leadership from Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Technion, Ben Gurion University, Haifa University and Bar Ilan University to discuss opportunities for expanding and deepening academic ties between the two countries. The Minister also met with a group of Indian students studying in Israel to hear about their experiences and suggestions for how to expand student mobility.
The Minister noted that universities play a significant role in strengthening bilateral relations and whilst there has been increased cooperation in the higher education field in recent years, there is much potential to boost ties in many fields, including technology and innovation. Currently there are around 1,000 Indian students studying in Israel, around half of them post-doctoral students. The Minister said that India is “committed to finding new ways to expand our relationship”, and “the challenge before us is how to scale it up and shift it to the next gear”.
Professor Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University, noted the significance of the Minister’s visit in the context of the upcoming 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations and growing ties between the two countries. Professor Porat stressed that “TAU sees India as a strategic priority and we see great potential in expanding our partnerships with leading academic institutions and industry in India”. Professor Daniel Chamovitz, President of Ben Gurion University said “The strong academic collaboration between India and Israel is built on common values which facilitates the personal interactions”. The Israeli university leaders called for the establishment of more bilateral mechanisms to support joint research and student mobility.
Roohi Chaudry, PhD student in the field of cancer biophysics at TAU, reflecting on her experiences studying in Israel said “studying at TAU and Israel has helped me to gain insight into so many diverse cultures and take a giant leap out of my comfort zone to unravel endless opportunities. The well-equipped research labs with world class infrastructure and the most advanced innovative learning techniques assisted in reinforcing my desire to take up research as my line of work”. She applauded the Minister’s visit and called for the “more student exchanges in the future which will prove to be a testimony in strengthening Indo-Israel relations”.
Meeting of Indian students studying in Israel with Dr S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India.
Commemorating Yitzhak Rabin, 26 years after his assassination.
Hundreds of students and faculty members gathered to show their respect to late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, 26 years after his assassination. The speakers at the event were Prof. Eyal Zisser, Vice Rector of Tel Aviv University; Prof. Simha Goldin, Historian and Head of the History Teaching Profession Committee and father of Hadar Goldin (Lieutenant in the Givati Brigade of the IDF who was killed during the military Operation Protective Edge in 2014, his body still held in Gaza by Hamas terrorists) and Lior Hazan, Chairwoman of Tel Aviv University’s Student Union.
“Violence is not an order. It is a choice”
Prof. Eyal Zisser called on the TAU community to take on the task of changing the discourse in Israel and to displace the growing culture of violence. “Rabin wanted to forge a path for peace,” said the professor, adding that Rabin “experienced something which many of those involved in state security had experienced. Those who had experienced wars, fought fiercely and made significant sacrifices acknowledged the futility of wars and their destructive impact on every good part of the social, political and human fabric. In his remarks, which he repeated in many of his speeches, Rabin noted that in wars there are winners and losers. In peace, everyone wins.“
Professor Zisser added that Rabin’s assassination was a painful and traumatic event for Israelis, that still resonates today. “We still haven’t stifled the fire of fanaticism and hatred. We have allowed intolerance and brutality to fill the gap [which has worsened since Rabin’s assassination]. Thus, the longing for Yitzhak Rabin is overshadowed by concern for the society he left behind,” said Prof. Zisser.
TAU students and faculty members honor late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on the Memorial Day services held on campus (Photo: Michael Plotno, Tel Aviv University’s Student Union)
“Violence challenges social values and moral norms, and threatens to undermine the foundations of the state. Violence is not an order. It is a choice. Let us not put up with it. It is important to listen to minority opinions with utmost attention, and take into account the hardships, fears and the inhibitions experienced by the individual as well as by the many.”
“We, the TAU community and its alumni, have a responsibility to decisively change our daily, social and public discourse.” He called for another discourse that brings back “moral boundaries, based on the principle that someone who holds different opinions is not thereby a traitor. 26 years after the murder it is right to return boldly and emphasize that there must be no tolerance and understanding when it comes to manifestations of racism, violence and fanaticism. We must take a strong stance in the face of fanaticism, which has intensified in recent years, so that democracy is not destroyed.”
Filling the Void that Was Created
Prof. Goldin spoke about Rabin’s courageous path, noting that the former prime minister was not afraid to pioneer change. The professor asked this generation of students to assume responsibility and establish a new, honorable and courageous leadership.
“A generation has passed, and we’ve learned nothing. I expect you to fill the void that was created and save this wonderful country from itself,” said Prof. Goldin, urging the participants at the event to behave like Rabin. Instead of looking for culprits, they should take responsibility.
Prof. Simha Goldin (Photo: Michael Plotno, Tel Aviv University’s Student Union)
Festive event to be hosted on campus and broadcast around the world.
The annual TAU Board of Governors Meeting will be taking place between October 13-17. For the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, the festive event will be taking place both in-person and online. The following is a selection of highlights from the program, with a focus on the impact of TAU’s big ideas on the success of the State of Israel and beyond.
Honorary Degrees
Honorary Doctorates for Recipients in Israel will be awarded to: Mr. Haim Be’er (novelist); Adv. Hanina Brandes (Founding Partner, Naschitz Brandes Amir); Prof. Shafrira (Shafi) Goldwasser (Electrical Engineer and Computer Scientist, MIT; Mathematician, Weizmann Institute of Science); and Ms. Hanna Zohar (Founder, Kav La’Oved).
Honorary Fellowships in Israel will be awarded to: Mr. Joseph Bar Natan (Businessman and Philanthropist) and Gesher Theater, Israel.
The ceremony will be broadast live on TAU’s Facebook page on October 17 at 8 p.m. The public is invited to attend virtually.
Climate Change and Space Research
MK Tamar Zandberg, Israel’s Minister of Environmental Protection and a TAU alumna, will address this year’s Academic Symposium, titled “Between Climate Change, Space Research and Life under Extreme Conditions.”
The guest speaker will be Dr. Jessica Meir, NASA astronaut and one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020. Her talk will focus on her recent mission to space, space research and life under extreme environments as well as on NASA’s work related to climate change. The Symposium will be chaired by Prof. Mark Shtaif, Rector of the University and moderated by Prof. Colin Price, Head, Environmental Studies Department, Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences.
Dr. Jessica Meir, NASA astronaut
First Woman to Chair TAU’s Board
After serving for three years as Co-Chair of the TAU Global Campaign, triple alumna and long-time benefactor of TAU Dafna Meitar-Nechmad will replace Prof. Jacob A. Frenkel, who will be completing two four-year terms as Chair of the Board of Governors. She will be the first woman to Chair the Board of Governors.
Meitar-Nechmad thanked the Search Committee for recommending her appointment: “As a woman, a social investor and an alumna of TAU, it will be a great honor and privilege for me to head its Board of Governors. The past decade has seen substantial development at TAU, in research, education and contribution to the community, and I am certain that together we can keep up this momentum, expand the sources of funding, and open TAU’s gates to new target populations from both Israel and abroad.”
Also during the meeting, TAU will welcome 35 new governors from around the world.
Dafna Meitar-Nechmad is the incoming Chair of the Board of Governors (Photo: Moshe Bedarshi)
At a time when documented facts and evidence-based conclusions are increasingly contested, understanding our history is more important than ever. That’s why, to mark the Dan David Prize’s 20th anniversary, the Prize has been redesigned to celebrate scholars and practitioners whose work illuminates the human past, bringing a historical lens to current debates and our thinking about the future (nominations are still open for the largest history prize in the world, The Dan David Prize 2022). The relaunch of the Dan David Prize will be celebrated with a keynote lecture by Prof. David Nirenberg from the University of Chicago on “How the Long History of Race and Religion Helps Us Think about the Present and Future.”
Dan David Prize – Looking Back, Looking Forward
For regular BOG updates and photos, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, hashtag #TAUbog21.
Featured image: From the Honorary Degrees Conferment Ceremony, BOG 2019 (Photo: Noam Wind)
What famous personalities would TAU researchers invite to their sukkah?
Welcoming guests is a prominent part of celebrating the week-long Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Family, friends, and neighbors are often invited into the sukkah (a hut which evokes the temporary dwellings the Israelites inhabited on their way out of Egypt) to share food and drink and to spend time together. We asked four TAU researchers who they would have invited, if they could pick one person, from past or present time, to visit their sukkah. Why him or her? What question would they have asked? What would they have said?
Dr. Arik Rudnitzky would have invited Former Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin
“I would have invited Yitzhak Rabin. To me, he was a father figure in the broad and collective sense of the word. A model of the “Sabra”, a hero, and a humble one at that. When he died, I felt as though I’d lost an elderly family member. Besides, Rabin would visit soldiers and people and would behave just like regular people. He’d speak with me as equals and not like a politician.”
“I’d ask him how different today’s Israeli is from his vision. I’d love to hear the assessment of today’s reality from a person who made history. I’d also throw in a random question, like ‘How are you?’, just to listen to the way he speaks again. The way he spoke was direct and personal.”
Dr. Nechumi Yaffe would have invited Sarah Schenirer, a Polish-Jewish schoolteacher who became a pioneer of Jewish education for girls
Dr. Yaffe is Faculty Member of the School of Social and Policy Studies and Researcher focusing on the Ultra-Orthodox at the Israel Democracy Institute.
“I would’ve loved to host the late Sarah Schenirer. She was the founder of the Beit Yaakov network, a girls’ school in Poland that expanded to include the network of ultra-Orthodox girls’ schools around the world. She was a rare and very brave social entrepreneur. She thought differently from everyone around her, fought the establishment and initiated a very pioneering movement. This was long before ‘feminism’ became a recognized term. She first established sacred studies for girls and combined them with high-level secular studies in the Beit Yaakov network.”
“I’d ask her where she got the courage from, and why she did not complete her mission by forcing the rabbis to introduce secular studies in the boys’ yeshivas. The world could have been more complete and enriched.”
Judi Lax would have invited Ephraim Kishon, a Hungarian-born Israeli author, dramatist, screenwriter, and Oscar-nominated film director. He was one of the most widely read contemporary satirists in the world
“I would’ve loved the chance to sit down with the late Ephraim Kishon in my sukkah. Apart from the fact that we’re both Hungarians, already as a child I enjoyed his brilliant and sarcastic sense of humor. I’d have asked him how he feels about everything that’s happening around us –the epidemic; how so many people had to take unpaid vacations and some have chosen not to return to work; about prisoners who escape from prison, only to discover that the conditions on the outside are worse – all these peculiar things that are going on lately. I am sure that he would have shared an amusing point of view, one that he’d articulate in a fluent language no longer heard.”
Dr. Jonatan Ostrometzky would have invited Neil Armstrong, American astronaut and aeronautical engineer, and the first person to walk on the Moon
“I’d invite Neil Armstrong, the commander of the famous Apollo 11 mission in which humans first landed on the moon in the summer of 1969. Landing on the moon symbolizes the almost infinite abilities that can be achieved by a combination of motivation, desire and perseverance – with scientific research and technological development. I’d ask him how he arrived at his famous sentence “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
For his outstanding leadership contributions to homeland security, cyber security and resilience.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has extended its IEEE TCHS Outstanding Leadership Award in the field of cyber for the year 2021 to Major Gen. (Ret.) Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel, Head of the ICRC – Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center.
The announcement of IEEE’s award committee members: “This award recognizes an individual’s outstanding leadership contributions to the homeland security community in general and to the field of cyber security and resilience in particular. The award recognizes the leadership and visionary contributions to the society at large through the promotion and applications of security and resilience concepts to a variety of technology, science, and business domains.”
“It is a great honor and I am very excited to receive the IEEE Award. I see great importance in receiving the award not only personally but also nationally, as the award is not only a recognition of my work but a recognition of Israel’s central and unique status in the cyber world,” said Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel.
As part of his wide-ranging activities, Prof. Ben Israel headed the project to formulate Israel’s national cyber program, and he heads the anual “Cyber Week” events, one of the world’s leading cybersecurity conferences, where experts from industry, government and academia across the globe come together to exchange cyber dialogue on current issues, trends and technological solutions.
In 2012, Prof. Ben Israel was elected a Lifetime Member of the International Academy of Austronautics (IAC) and became a member of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council (RIEC) in Singapore. In addition to his academic work, Prof. Ben-Israel serves as Chairman of Israel Space Agency and he has received the Israel Defense Forces Award twice.
IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization (419,000 members from over 160 countries) dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.
Prof. Itai Sened explains how TAU students will tackle global warming from what will become the greenest building on campus.
The Naftali building, which houses the Gershon H. Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences and was built in the 1960s, is one of the most iconic buildings on campus. And now, Prof. Itai Sened the Dean of the Faculty is planning to turn the building into a green island, attracting students from all faculties.
Imagine walls covered with photovoltaic cells (solar cells that convert solar energy to produce electricity), an open research lab on a roof top, and a green wall in the garden… The physical makeover of the building is only the tip of the iceberg: “This is the infrastructure of the program, and will serve as a focal point for research and development on the topic of climate change for the entire university, quietly contributing ideas and environmental solutions touching on all faculties,” says Prof. Sened.
A Lab that is not a Lab
What will it look like? The walls of the Matanel Garden on the ground floor are already covered with tropical vegetation that gives a sense of freedom and nature. In the garden, it will be possible to hold academic meetings on any subject, and there will be indoors work spaces with screens on the walls, displaying data on how much alternative energy the university produces on all roofs at any given moment. There will be a facility for landless agriculture, where the products will be monitored and tested by research teams. It will also provide raw materials for the cafeteria, which will make a comeback. The cafeteria will be operated by youth at risk, closely accompanied by students of social work and psychology.
The real focal point, however, is the lab. The ‘Laboratory without a laboratory’, as Prof. Sened calls it, will be run by Prof. Hadas Mamane, head of the Environmental Engineering Program at The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, and Dr. Vered Blass from The Department of Environmental Studies, who specializes in circular economy. And where will it be? “The laboratory is located in the minds of students and researchers,” explains Prof. Sened. “The spaces must be open; we cannot continue working with closed laboratories. We are building a unique program here that will take on anything that can be changed. Our goal is to train future leaders to deal with climate and water crises, to create a sustainable future.”
The future Naftali building, complete with vertical gardens, biodomes, solar panels, a shaded lab area, grey water tank and algae ponds.
Flow of Thought
The students in the novel program entailing a “lab-less lab” are master students, Israeli and international. “With us, they learn how to do special things in the most remote places in the world, but they need freedom. It’s a new era. These are young people who grew up in a world without limits. There is no Faculty of Engineering, no Faculty of Law. There are young people who hang out, they are here and there and they keep returning, ” Prof. Sened shares his reasons for setting up the special venture.
“Here you will see graduates of selected academic units who travel to the most remote villages in the world, together with someone from the Faculty of Life Sciences, someone from the School of Computer Science, students from the Faculty of Social Sciences – from Economics, Public Policy, Psychology and Anthropology. They go to those villages because that is what they enjoy doing and exploring. They will not sit here and write a doctorate for five years – that would be torture for them, as it does not suit them anymore. However, if we put them in this new type of lab, they will get a doctorate after they do much more. That is the guiding principle. “
An Entire Generation Looking for Purpose
Prof. Sened explains that while the whole thing may give off an “engineering and life sciences” vibe, most of the projects that are undertaken there are actually related to the social sciences. “One of our most talented doctoral students is about to start working at the State Comptroller’s Office as a real estate expert. Individuals like her wish to succeed and to change the legislation on all aspects of renewable energy. “
He explains that it is important for their students to know, right from the start, where they will be able to integrate when they complete their degree. “In these projects, they often integrate in the process. A student who goes to Kenya to purify water, install solar panels, or to study a worm that is making its name known in corn crops – may be noticed and ‘snatched” – and will already be on his way to another project. That’s how it works.”
“The infrastructure of what we are building here is 20% of the matter, and it is what is visible to the eye. However, the most interesting part is the remaining 80%, the minds involved. And they are not limited by space (…) We needed something visible, and so we built the green Naftali. Now they will finally be visible, ” concludes Prof. Sened.
Students hanging out in the Naftali garden surrounded by its green walls
Andi Murez enhances her athletic performance at the Sylvan Adams Sports Institute.
“Most people tell me I’m crazy to be a professional swimmer and medical student, but I couldn’t give either up, so I tried to do both, not knowing whether I would succeed at either,” says Andrea “Andi” Murez during a break between training sessions at the University’s Sylvan Adams Sports Institute and the neighboring Sports Center. “I’m proud that I’ve given it a shot and prevailed.”
A Balancing Act
In 2017, California native Murez enrolled at TAU in the Sackler School of Medicine New York State/American Program. She has since completed her first two years in the MD Program that offers English courses for students from North America.
This will be 29-year-old Murez’s second Olympics; she previously represented Israel in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. With the Games in sight, the Israeli national record-holder in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle has taken a temporary break from her studies to focus on her Olympic aspirations. Following Tokyo, she will return to medical training and begin two years of clinical rotations at TAU-affiliated hospitals.
Training at TAU
Murez’s grueling routine in the final stretch to Tokyo consists of regular sessions at TAU facilities, including performance analyses at the Sylvan Adams Sports Institute, alongside teammates from Israel’s Olympic delegation and its national swim team.
Established in 2018, the Institute focuses on improving athletic capabilities in endurance sports: swimming, running, cycling, and triathlon. The Institute houses a state-of-the-art flume (counter-current) pool that helps swimmers improve their craft by testing factors such as limb function, movement symmetry and muscle fatigue.
Murez trains at the flume pool at TAU’s Sylvan Adams Sports Center (Photo: Moshe Bedarshi)
“Having Andi and other members of the Olympic team at the Institute is a realization of the Sylvan Adams Sports Institute’s mission, which is to enhance the abilities of Israel’s top athletes and nurture Olympic-level champions,” says the Institute’s Director, Prof. Chaim Pick of TAU’s Department of Anatomy & Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine.
“In a sport where every hundredth of a second matters, training sessions such as those performed at the Sylvan Adams Sports Institute—which could not have been done elsewhere in Israel—are vital for high-level swimmers such as Andi to evaluate and fine-tune their technique,” he adds.
WATCH: Murez trains at the flume pool at TAU’s Sylvan Adams Sports Center
For her part, Murez appreciates the variety of performance building options available at TAU. “Some people perform better in the flume pool, some in the open pool,” she says. “It’s great to have both for a holistic approach.”
Diving into Israel
In addition to her Olympic aims, Murez hopes to inspire other women along with potential olim to realize their dreams in Israel, particularly when it comes to athletics and higher education.
“Growing up, I never thought I’d swim for Israel—but it’s been great,“ says Murez.
Andi Murez is making waves in the pool and the classroom (Photo: Moshe Bedarshi)
The 17-time Maccabiah Games medalist credits formative experiences at the so-called “Jewish Olympics” for connecting her to Israel. Murez decided to make aliya following the 2013 Maccabiah, where a local counterpart drove home the exciting potential of living and swimming in Israel.
After undergraduate studies at Stanford University, she accepted a spot on the Israeli National Swimming Team and made aliya in 2014. Murez encourages others to follow similar paths. “It was a very welcoming experience,” she enthuses.” I love it here.”
She views swimming and medicine not as disparate endeavors, but as parallel tracks with many similarities. “The medical path is a long and rigorous journey, which takes patience and delayed gratification—two things I have experienced as a swimmer. When I was stressed in the classroom, I had swimming to fall back on,” she says. “When I’m stressed by swimming, I can focus on school to help me feel better.”
“The TAU faulty supported my passion for swimming and allowed me to take two years off of school to train for the Tokyo Olympics,” she notes. “I feel very fortunate that I found a great medical program to continue my studies.” Murez also nods to her classmates for their support. “In our program, I often studied in groups with classmates. If I fell behind on the material because of trainings, they would help me catch up,” she recounts. “They even came to a few swim meets to cheer me on!”
Following the 2021 Olympics, Murez plans to stay in Israel and pursue her professional swimming career alongside working as a physician. We wish Andi good luck and will continue to root for her in all her endeavors!
Murez will swim for Israel at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan (Photo: Moshe Bedarshi)
Featured image: TAU medical student and Olympic contender Andi Murez poolside at the University’s Sports Center (Photo: Moshe Bedarshi)
Among leading ‘global champions for digital education worldwide’ in Emerging rankings for 2021.
Tel Aviv University ranked first in Israel and among the leading international institutions for higher education in the 2021 rankings.
While American and European universities dominate the Emerging ratings, the group notes “the outstanding performance of Israel, notably disrupting the tables with institutions present in all digital categories”.
The aim of the ratingsis to help ‘”shine a light on the global institutions who are championing digital education studies worldwide”, looking to identify higher education institutions with a strong focus on digital expertise and that are teaching transferable digital skills across the curriculum.
TAU secured the 22nd place out of 150 on the list of the world’s “Best Universities for Digital Learning 2021”. The Technion the second Israeli higher education institution to feature, as number 31. The Hebrew University follows, on 42nd place. Ben-Gurion University is number 60 and Bar-Ilan University number 81.
In addition to the overall ranking, the institutions were also ranked for:
Their digital entrepreneurship programs: Tel Aviv University was ranked 6thin the world, and first in Israel. Technion is number 25, The Hebrew University number 18, Ben Gurion University number 26 and Bar Ilan is not listed among the top 30.
Best data science degrees: TAU is listed as number 10, following The Hebrew University on 7th place. The Technion is listed as number 27 on the list (Bar Ilan University and Ben Gurion University are not listed among the top 30).
Best universities for online professional training and executive programs: Tel Aviv University is number 4, followed by The Technion on 20nd place, Ben-Gurion University on 21st place, Hebrew University on 22nd and Bar-Ilan on 27th place.
Best universitites for digital transformation: TAU is number 11, and is the only Israeli university to be listed among the top 30.
Methodology
According to the website, “This study is based on the data and results obtained from a vote of 3,400 digital professionals in nine countries (US, UK, Germany, Spain, France, China, India, Sweden and Japan), such as IT corporate executives, start-up executives, and young professionals who recently started their digital career. This is combined with a premium specific database providing precise information on higher education received by the 10,000 most active and influential executives of the world’s leading digital companies. Each institution is scored across six metrics covering the full scope of digital education (computer degrees, data science and AI degrees, digital training formats, digital entrepreneurship programs, online professional training and executive programs, and institutions with the most innovative learning formats) to determine its position in the ranking.”
TAU and Jewish women’s group launched first B.A. program of its type in the Middle East.
Tel Aviv University this week alongside the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) are marking 20 years of partnership and the co-founding of the first-ever gender studies program in the Middle East.
Established in 2001, the NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program at The Shirley and Leslie Porter School of Cultural Studies, at the Entin Faculty of Humanities was the first – and remains the only – B.A. degree program on gender studies in Israel. The Program has since expanded to offer M.A. and Ph.D. tracks. To date, it boasts approximately 600 alumni.
Changing Society, Changing Lives
In light of its two-decade anniversary, the Program’s head Prof. Daphna Hacker, from the Buchmann Faculty of Law, explains: “It’s a degree but it’s not only about intellectual theories, it’s about our own lives – our private most intimate relations, our political choices, our engagement in social activism. Once you’re exposed to feminist theories and gender studies, most likely your perspective will change not only on society, but on your own life.”
Addressing the 20-year milestone, TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat lauded the Program and its founders, thanking NCJW for the endowment that made the Program possible. Additionally, he hailed the Program for its role in producing agents for social change, including graduates who have become educators, journalists, scholars, entrepreneurs and social activists.
“We can see the important impact of the Program not just on its graduates and teachers, but also on the wider Tel Aviv University community,” he said in recorded remarks. “We’re seeing more women professors in the top management, as vice presidents, deans and heads of schools – and also a greater representation of women scientists and students in STEM fields.”
Prof. Hacker sees the Program’s classrooms as microcosms of the type of pluralistic setting needed to further swing the pendulum toward gender equity in Israel. “Gender studies teach us how to open our eyes to reality,” she says. “Feminism, since it was established, has been about the connection between academic knowledge and activism for social change.”
A conference hosted by the NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program (Photo: Tanya Gurov)
The Program’s influence is evident in its impact on the lives of its students. For instance, it has provided Ph.D. researcher and lecturer Estee Rieder-Indursky an inroad to academia she wouldn’t have thought possible 20 years ago. As a Haredi social activist, Rider-Indursky is making strides giving voice to women previously unheard from in academic research. In 2020, she won the Dan David Prize for Doctoral Students for her research on discourses of Haredi women who study the Talmud.
Going forward, Hacker’s hopes to broaden awareness of the gender studies Program to draw new students and future social leaders. This includes adding to its ranks more men, LGBTQ students, students with disabilities, ultra-Orthodox women, and Arab Israeli students.
“Everyone should be included in the conversation and the research. Since we are shaping our research through our experiences and personal backgrounds, it’s crucial we have diversity among our students and faculty,” Hacker stresses.
Extending Academic Knowledge Beyond Campus
In addition to the gender studies Program at TAU, the partnership between the University and NCJW has borne additional projects. Now hosting its 2nd cohort, “Connecting for Impact: Strengthening the Feminist Ecosystem in Israel” is one of the partnership’s most recent achievements extending academic knowledge beyond the walls of traditional university campus settings.
Hacker hails the University’s partnership with NCJW – the oldest Jewish women’s volunteer organization in the U.S. – as a fruitful collaboration that facilitates valuable knowledge sharing between scholars, lobbyists, activist and community leaders from both the U.S. and Israel.
An online event Thursday (June 17) celebrating the 20-year anniversary of the NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program at TAU will feature a panel of leaders exploring the state of gender equity in Israel. Along with NCJW President Dana Gershon and Prof. Hacker, guest speakers include Israeli Cabinet Minister Merav Michaeli, Director of Arab Community program at Yad Hanadiv Foundation Dr. Safa Abu-Rabia, and Ridur-Indursky. Former NCJW president, Florida State Senator Nan Rich, will moderate the event.
To register for the panel, please visit here. Featured image: NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program at TAU (Photo: Jonathan Mizrahi)
A conference hosted by the NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program (Photo: Tanya Gurov)
The Program’s influence is evident in its impact on the lives of its students. For instance, it has provided Ph.D. researcher and lecturer