Tag: Tel Aviv University

Who knew that there were so many Germany-related projects going on here at TAU? 

Academic collaboration between Tel Aviv University and Germany is growing, as part of TAU’s wider efforts to develop research ties with the world’s leading institutions, attract outstanding students from across the globe, and provide Israeli students with the tools they need to prosper in the globalized era in which we live. 

TAU has more than fifty active agreements with German institutions, which makes the country our largest partner in Europe, third in the world only after the US and China. An average of 200 German students study at TAU annually, while another 100 participate in exchange programs. We sat down with Maureen Meyer Adiri, Director of TAU International, to learn some more about Tel Aviv University’s current collaborations with German institutions.

Bilateral Student Opportunities

Meyer Adiri tells us that we have German students in all departments of TAU – some come for a single exchange semester, some for a complete undergraduate degree, others study for their masters and still others come to do advanced research in one of our labs. And the exchange goes both ways – she explains that Israeli students typically choose to study in Germany because of the rich offerings in English, multiple scholarship opportunities, the country’s high level of education in general – and the renowned universities with which TAU partners.

Many German students choose to study at TAU through the Erasmus agreement. Also, The German Friendship Fund was established during Germany Week by the German Friends of Tel Aviv University and is intended to support German students who wish to study here.

TAU also teaches a number of online courses jointly with German professors, specifically in the Humanities, Social Sciences, Law and Engineering, and this is a growing trend. In addition, there are lots of other types of collaborations between TAU and German faculty. An example includes a recent strong partnership project between Israel and Germany, in which students from TAU’s Graduate Program in Technology & Learning at The Jaime and Joan Constantiner School of Education successfully concluded a unique multilingual, multicultural academic online course in the field of learning technologies. The project was a result of a research collaboration between TAU’s Advanced Learning and Technology Research Lab led by Dr. Anat Cohen, The University of Kassel in Germany, and the Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts in Tel Aviv.

“The COVID-19 pandemic, along with other societal challenges, have made global cooperation more important than ever. This unique collaboration brings together students from different backgrounds to create online academic collaboration as a booster for international partnerships in research, schools, and workplaces”, says Guy Cohen, a TAU research student who led the course together with Dr. Anat Cohen. 

Recent Research Collaborations

Frankfurt and Tel Aviv are twin cities, and a strategic partnership has existed between Tel Aviv University and Goethe University Frankfurt since 1984. During the “Germany Week”, the two universities signed an agreement to establish a joint center for interfaith studies, The Center for the Study of Religious and Interreligious Dynamics, will become the first German-Israeli research institute of its kind. 

In the near future, The German – Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (GIF)  will partner with TAU and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (with which TAU already has joint calls for proposals and funds joint research projects), to run a scientific workshop for early career Israeli and German researchers on the interface of AI and society. “I believe we’ll see a growth in joint research projects in the years to come,” says Meyer Adiri.

From the signing ceremony to establish a joint center for interfaith studies (from left to right): Prof. Menachem Fisch, Prof. Milette Shamir, TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat, German Ambassador Susanne Wasum-Rainer & Prof. Youval Rotman.

Germany Week

In celebration of the growing collaboration between TAU and Germany, the University recently celebrated “Germany Week” on campus. TAU International and the Student Union of Tel Aviv University organized a range of academic and social events celebrating German culture and academia, all of which were well attended and catered to both students and faculty members. Solid engagement of German TAU students ensured the cultural authenticity of German-themed events, which included a tour in the footsteps of German Jewry at the ANU Museum of the Jewish People; a discussion on themes in modern German literature; a Christmas market which was opened at the center of the TAU campus in collaboration with the German embassy in Israel, and much more.

“Germany Week by far exceeded our expectations from all perspectives”, says Meyer Adiri. “It contributed a lot to the awareness on campus about opportunities and collaborations that we have with our German partners, and it created an avenue for Israeli students to meet with our German students and to learn from them, have fun and party with them and to engage.” Following the event, many students have contacted TAU International, eager to assist with activities furthering internationalization. “We very much welcome students and faculty to take part in reaching out with ideas and to be involved in the next international events,” says Meyer Adiri.  

German exchange students help organize and enjoyed a German-styled Christmas Market on TAU campus

Germany Week kicked off what will be a series of international events, each of which will focus on the culture of a different country with which our university has strong collaborations, or from where we have many incoming students. In the case of Germany, both criteria hold.

The purpose of the International Week series is to further internationalization at Tel Aviv University. Curious minds may wonder why Germany was the first country to feature in the International Weeks series? Meyer Adiri explains that the order of the countries was decided according to the timing of significant cultural events taking place in those countries and to celebrate that event on campus. According to this logic, Germany was celebrated in December 2021 to coincide with the country’s legendary Christmas Market; “Brazil Week” will take place between 20-24 February this year, during the country’s famous Carnival festival; “India Week during the Holi Festival; “Mexico Week” during the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration and “USA Week” during Fourth of July.

Stay posted for Brazil Week and get ready to samba! 

TAU International’s Series of “International Weeks”

They paint our campus in a variety of colors throughout the seasons, provide us with shade on hot sunny days and fill our souls with gladness. Our campus wouldn’t have been the same without them, and what better time than Tu B’Shvat to celebrate them? Below are some of the most interesting trees of Tel Aviv University. How many do you recognize?

The Root of the Matter

While most of the trees on campus boast broad, branched out branches, there is one tree that attracts attention for the opposite reason, namely its impressing branched-out roots. This fascinating fig tree (Ficus) ain’t planning on going anywhere – you can find it between the Dan David building and the Library of Exact Sciences, its roots extended with a radius of about five meters across the courtyard.

Summer-Time Snow

If you’ve ever visited the secret courtyard behind the building of the Faculty of Engineering during the hot summer months, you may have noticed that the green grass appears to be coverd in soft and airy snow. While it may not be real snow, it is fun to pretend that’s what the seeds from the white silk floss tree (Ceiba insignis) are. When the fruits of the tree ripen, they open up and a swollen crest bursts out – it looks just like a cotton ball – containing small brown seeds that are quickly spread everywhere.

Red Flame

At the beginning of summer, our campus is painted in a fiery red, thanks to the beautiful Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia), also known as ‘flamboyant tree’ or ‘peacock tree’. The trees are a delight to the eye for every passerby, and during this time of the year the lawn in front of the Gilman building becomes a favored destination for avid campus photographers, eager to document the breathtaking blossom from every possible angle.

Pretty in Pink

During spring, the courtyard between the Faculty of Exact Sciences and Dan David is painted pink and feels like a beautiful paradise, thanks to the spectacular flowers of the Bauhinia variegata. As the grass gets sprinkled with pink petals that slowly fall from the trees, the world looks really perfect for a moment, so we highly recommend you to bring your camera and come for a visit in April.

The Tree of Knowledge?

Strange-looking trees are growing in front of the George S. Wise Senate building, with large and impressive flowers and reddish fruits with an intriguing and tropical appearance. What’s the name of this strange tree, you ask? This is none other than a large-flowered magnolia tree, named after the French botanist Pierre Magnol. When its red seeds are exposed from its fruits, a small feathery tail is also revealed, allowing for flight and levitation, reminding us how ingenious and sophisticated nature is.

European Fall

How many songs do you think have been written about the season of fall? While that was meant as a rhetorical question, if you google “songs about fall”, you’ll get an idea. How is it that, even as the leaves dry out at the end of their life cycle, they are nevertheless so beautiful and inspiring? Get a small taste of European fall on Tel Aviv University campus, as the chestnut trees put on a display in shades of orange and brown next to our law school and the memorial monument of the Dan David building.

The above mentioned trees are only a small selection of the trees of our campus. According to Ilan Sharon, Head of TAU’s Yard Gardening and Maintenance Department, several thousand trees grow here, including pines, almonds, groves, palms and more. And let there be no doubt: We love and appreciate them all.

What is your favorite tree on campus? Give it a big hug, document the moment and tag us on Instagram with hashtag #tau-campus.

Wishing those of you who celebrate a Tu B’Shvat Sameach!