Expanding Global Academic Ties

As part of Tel Aviv University's drive to enhance international academic collaborations, TAU President Ariel Porat recently met with several ministers from around the world. The leaders included the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi; the United Arab Emirates’ Minister of Education Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi; and India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr. Subrahmanyam (S.) Jaishankar.  

“We recognize the tremendous significance of international collaboration in all areas of University activity, both for the sake of top-quality science and scholarship, and for alumni career success,” stressed Prof. Porat. “TAU is increasing research ties with the world's leading institutions, attracting more outstanding students from across the globe, and providing Israeli students with the tools they need to prosper in the globalized era in which we live,” he said.  

Porat met with the UK’s Zahawi at an event held at Google headquarters in London, hosted by TAU’s UK Trust, to discuss education policy during and post-COVID-19. Speaking at the intimate gathering, the two touched on pandemic-driven changes and challenges to learning and teaching both in the UK and Israel, including the move to online learning and the future of distance education. 

TAU hosted the UAE’s Al Hammadi in a historic first visit of an Emirati government official to campus. President Porat, TAU Vice President Prof. Milette Shamir, and University researchers met with Al Hammadi and his delegation, who were on a multi-day tour of Israel as part of steps to strengthen bilateral ties under the Abraham Accords. The Emirati visit came after Porat and members of the University’s leadership attended a ceremony in Dubai in June launching a joint Israeli-UAE water research alliance. In this framework, representatives from the UAE will work closely with the Moshe Mirilashvili Institute for Applied Water Studies at TAU's Water Research Center.  

Porat’s recent international summits also included a TAU-hosted conference with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, along with the leadership of five other Israeli universities. The forum convened to discuss opportunities for expanding and deepening academic ties between the two countries, ahead of the upcoming 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Israel and India.  

The meeting preceded this year’s 14th edition of the TAU-founded Israel-India Forum, which the University co-hosted virtually. The forum for bolstering diplomatic ties featured high-level representatives of each country, including Israel’s President and TAU alumnus Isaac Herzog, as well as academics, journalists, and business and community leaders.