The Global Vision of TAU International

Greetings TAU students and alumni,

As I am writing these words, we at Tel Aviv University continue to navigate the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To those of us working with the international community, the past months have presented many challenges, from ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our international students to maintaining research ties with our partners abroad, even in places hard-hit by the virus.

But the crisis has also created exciting opportunities. The shift to the online classroom pushed us to rethink the way we teach, to open the door to new digital pedagogies, and embrace their affordances. To offer just one example: over the summer, TAU International partnered with the Center for Learning Innovation to design an international course on the pandemic, examined from the perspective of disaster management, medicine, psychology, economics, history, law, and more. The course brought together, in virtual space, dozens of students from around the world who studied the pandemic together, compared their local experiences, and debated policy questions.

The lull in international mobility caused by COVID-19 gave us precious time to complete Tel Aviv University's new strategic plan to upgrade its global impact and strengthen its international appeal. As part of this plan, we intend to increase the number and scope of our undergraduate and graduate international programs and to develop new joint degrees with leading institutions abroad. In October, we launched an exciting new dual-degree BA program in Liberal Arts with Columbia University. This is the kind of collaboration that we would like to expand to other areas and universities, providing top-tier academic opportunities for our International and Israeli students alike.

We encourage you, our students and alumni, to become part of our endeavor to turn TAU into a truly global university. Learning is a lifelong journey, and TAU offers diverse options for graduate study and beyond. Consider this a personal invitation to come back to campus and take advantage of our programs. And wherever you are in the world, please help us spread the word about the unique experience of studying at TAU.

As members of TAU's extended family, we hope you will join us as we work towards realizing our global vision.

Stay healthy and safe,

Prof. Milette Shamir

Vice President, Tel Aviv University