Columbia to Launch New Global Center in Tel Aviv

• The new site will join the network of centers across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.

Columbia University has announced that it will launch a new Columbia Global Center in Tel Aviv to build on its existing collaborations in Israel and facilitate further engagement and partnerships.

“The Global Centers program was created 14 years ago to create vibrant hubs of activity in intellectually rich and often challenging locations,” said Columbia President Lee C. Bollinger. “The program has become foundational to Columbia’s mission to engage with the world, offering opportunities for our faculty, students, and alumni to engage fully with colleagues and communities across the globe.”

The new Center will join a network of centers in Amman, Athens, Beijing, Istanbul, Mumbai, Nairobi, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, and Tunis. Similar to other centers, the Tel Aviv Center will be a hub and gathering place, enabling Columbia to connect with individuals and institutions, as well as with the alumni community in Israel, drawing them closer to the ongoing life of the University.

The Center will leverage Columbia’s expertise and experience and link faculty and students to experts and resources in Israel and the wider region. Among others, the Center’s initial priorities will include climate change, technology and entrepreneurship, and aspects of arts and the humanities, as well as biological science, public health, and medicine. An additional priority will be to offer collaborative learning and research opportunities, working with peers, for Columbia undergraduates and graduate students.

“I am deeply proud of how the Columbia Global Centers have evolved and grown, each with its own distinctive features and priorities and together as a vibrant network advancing Columbia’s mission and values,” said Bollinger. “It is more important than ever for Columbia to continue seeking to advance inquiry and learning across borders. I look forward with anticipation as the Tel Aviv Center takes shape in the months and years ahead as part of our broader Columbia Global efforts.”

Source: Columbia University