India Chair to be established at Tel Aviv University to strengthen Indo-Israel ties

Tel Aviv, Dec 15 (PTI) Strengthening Indo-Israel strategic partnership, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Monday between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Tel Aviv University (TAU) to establish an India Chair at the academic institute.

Ambassador of India to Israel, JP Singh, and Prof. Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University, formally signed the MoU, establishing the India Chair at the TAU for the first time.

Singh also held a productive meeting with the President and Heads of various faculties of the university to explore avenues for further strengthening educational and academic collaboration between India and Israel.

The Indian envoy also interacted with the Indian students at the university, engaging in a candid discussion on their academic experiences and suggestions.

“It is the first of its kind in Israel. This initiative will enable TAU to host leading Indian scholars each year across a range of academic fields, Noga Shahar, a spokesperson at TAU, told PTI.

The India Chair visiting professor will spend one full semester at TAU, teach one full academic course on TAU's request, and deliver a lecture series, she said.

“The series will be on contemporary issues in India, open to all TAU students as well as to the wider public, the TAU spokesperson added.

Prof. Porat proposed to establish a new forum on Innovations & Education that would provide a platform for direct dialogue between leading universities of Israel and India.

This was immediately endorsed by Ambassador Singh.

"TAU’s mission is to serve as a gateway to Israeli science and academic expertise for Indian academic partners, and as a gateway to India for Israeli researchers and students in terms of cultural exchange and beyond, said TAU’s Vice President of International Relations, Prof. Milette Shamir.

Indian research students are the second-largest overseas student community at TAU and a thriving community.

“We have a long tradition of welcoming students from India; they feel comfortable and safe on our campus, and they get along well with our professors, Konstantin Platonov, Director for Asia Engagement, told PTI.

“By inaugurating the ICCR-TAU India Chair at TAU and establishing TAU India hub in Delhi for permanent in-country representation, we are taking our engagement with Indian students, research partners and other stakeholders to the next level, Platonov added.

Prof. Shamir and Platonov just returned from a trip to India, exploring new ways to deepen academic cooperation between the two countries. PTI HM AMS