Israel India | Business Guide | 2017

086 > Higher Education > Interview Israel-India > Business Guide > 2017 A s India and Israel celebrate 25 years of friendly relations, we spoke to Tel Aviv University President Prof.Joseph Klafter, who also chairs the Committee of University Heads in Israel,about the benefits of binational academic collaboration. What is the current state of Indian-Israeli academic relations? The India-Israel relationship is of strategic importance tobothcountries and the affiliation has significantly warmed up and become more public in the past few years.Academia is increasingly playing a role in expanding and enhancing relations, but has yet to achieve its full potential. A major step forward was taken this winter when President of Israel Reuven Rivlin dedicated his first state visit to India to furthering bilateral academic ties. Aren’t the cultures anduniversity systems vastly different, though? Actually,the commonalities between our two cultures and university systems are greater than the differences.First,India and Israel share a deep reverence for education.Second,we have a mutual ambition for technological prominence.Third,we have a large percentage of science and technology graduates – our two countries are among the top 10 in the world. Fourth, each country’s universities, which rely heavily on public funding, must do their utmost to stretch the research dollar andwhat they lack in funding theymust make up in sheer ingenuity.And last but certainly not least, our countries’ top universities are truly world-class. So we have a great deal in common and a shared desire to collaborate – now we just have to take some more active steps. What could those steps be? For one,our two governments should invest more resources in academic exchange,more joint research,and post-doc fellowships.The possibilities for collaborative R&D in areas of national importance to both countries are boundless; we could work together in healthcare, clean-tech, water, agriculture, energy, communication, cyber, educational technologies, and much more. A practical move for exchanging post-docs has already born fruit. At my institution, Tel Aviv University (TAU),Indians make up about 25% of all post-docs and they’re making thrilling advances in nanotechnology, drug development and renewable energy,among other fields. The resulting personal and professional networking will be invaluable for future collaboration as well. Tel Aviv University President Prof. Joseph Klafter Another step would be for India to send more students to Israel for degree studies. At TAU we currently offer 16 undergraduate or master’s-level programs entirely taught in English. These include a BSc in Electronics and Electrical Engineering that is particularly attractive to Indian students. What about the business sector? I see them as important partners as well. Companies have much to gain by engaging in and financially supporting India-Israel academic ties because universities provide two things they need:well-trained scientists and inventions that have industrial applications. In this spirit,TAU has spent a decade building ties with Indian corporations and universities through the India-Israel Forum in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Ananta Aspen Centre. What our ownTAU activity in India has shown is that,whenworking hand-in-hand,academia, government and industry can do much in empowering the next generation of Indian and Israeli researchers and entrepreneurs.We need both if we are to compete as knowledge economies on the world stage. At Tel Aviv University, Indians make up 25% of all post-docs and they're making thrilling advances in nanotech, drug development and renewable energy Academic Bridge to a Shared Future The commonalities between our university systems are greater than the differences.Tel Aviv University