TAU Seeks Enhanced Academic Ties in Singapore

A delegation of senior Tel Aviv University leadership, led by TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat, recently met in Singapore with top university and government leaders to explore new avenues for joint research collaboration in cyber security, AI, ageing, climate change, medicine, and other fields.

Tel Aviv University has long-held relationships with institutions in Singapore under the framework of the decades-long bilateral relations between Israel and Singapore. The countries, both recognized as world-leaders in innovation and technology, have an extensive record of collaboration in R&D, commercial business, arts and culture, and beyond.

Innovative Power Couple

TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat commented that, “As Israel’s top university for innovation and entrepreneurship, Tel Aviv University sees great potential in augmenting collaborations with institutions in Singapore, which is recognized as a fellow powerhouse in emerging and cutting-edge technologies.”

The TAU delegation noted that the visit was an important step in the University’s strategic focus on ramping up academic ties with leading global institutions.

Professor Porat visited Singapore to participate in the International Academic Advisory Panel (IAAP) to the Singapore Government on higher education. The TAU delegation met with leading Singaporean universities and government institutions responsible for academic research including: the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, and the National Research Foundation.

TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat (center, right) and TAU Vice President International Milette Shamir (center) visited leading Singaporean universities and government institutions (Photo: Eileen Chew )

Joint Focus on Cyber

The visit included a special focus on cyber security research collaboration, one of TAU’s top strengths. It came ahead this year’s Cyber Week, hosted at TAU; one of Israel’s largest cyber security summits.

In 2015, TAU forged its first joint cyber research program with Singapore. The Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Center at TAU, a key engine of Israel’s prowess in the field with over 200 researchers from different disciplines, and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore oversee the collaboration. The program has since expanded to focus on a range of issues including mobile app security, new anti-phishing technology, and the cyber security of smart cities.

Dr. Yaniv Harel, Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center CSO, said, “As the challenges in cyber security continue to intensify, collaboration between countries, sectors, and people are needed to safeguard the systems upon which society relies. As a global player in cyber research, we’ve demonstrated the joint achievements that our teams produce, and we look forward to forging new ways to solve complex cyber security issues with partners in Singapore.”