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TAU for Diversity

As Israel’s largest and most comprehensive institution of higher education, Tel Aviv University is a microcosm of the diverse human tapestry that comprises greater Israeli society and the city of Tel Aviv.

At TAU, Jewish students and faculty learn and work alongside their Arab counterparts; students from Israel’s central region come together with those from Israel’s outlying cities; ultra-Orthodox students share a classroom with secular students; and immigrants from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia rub shoulders with Israeli-born Sabras.

The University prizes the rich pluralism of identities, cultures, religions, worldviews, and socio-economic backgrounds that make up its institutional fiber. Through diversity, the University fosters a culture of visibility, openness and tolerance. This helps bridge longstanding social and economic gaps, all while contributing to greater academic opportunities and collaboration for the betterment of overall Israeli society. With that, TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat has prioritized further promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion on campus among the over 30,000 students, academic faculty and administration.

A few facts on hoe we promote Diversity at TAU:

  • In recent years, TAU boosted the number of Israeli Arab students from 8-9% of the total undergraduate student body to 16%.

  • The number of Israeli students of Ethiopian descent at TAU  increased over 300% since the mid-2000s. To date, over 450 students of Ethiopian origin have studied throughout the years at TAU.

  • TAU serves a vital role in boosting accessibility to higher education among young Israelis from disadvantaged backgrounds and outlying communities, with 40 students joining TAU’s pioneering Periphery Program every year, producing over 400 graduates to date. 

  • Tel Aviv University makes every effort to support and provide access to its approximately 1,800 students with disabilities and special needs, including through the Mia and Miles Pinkas Accessible Learning Center.

  • Since its 2016 inception, TAU’s ‘Trailblazers’ program for integrating graduates of the Haredi education system into academia has grown from two students in its first year to over 150 ultra-Orthodox (and former ultra-Orthodox) students today. Enrolment for the upcoming 2021-22 academic year is already double last year’s figures.

  • For the first time at an Israeli university, TAU recently established a new Equality and Diversity Commission to address all aspects of equality and diversity on campus (within TAU faculty, administration, and student body), including minorities (Arab, Druze, Bedouin etc.), first-generation university students, people with disabilities, the LGBT community, members of the Israeli-Ethiopian community, gender inclusion, and the ultra-Orthodox.

  • The University hosts over 3,000 international students each year, hailing from a multitude of countries (including Muslim ones) across the globes, including China, India, Turkey, Denmark and more.

  • Women comprise 58% of the PhD students at TAU, while over 130 women complete their doctoral degrees at the University each year.