BGU | PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2024

Prof. SARAB QUEDER ABU-RABIA

VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

B. CULTIVATING EMERGING LEADERSHIP FOR SHARED LIFE ON CAMPUS Separate meetings with Jewish and Arab students conducted by the Office for Diversity and Inclusion revealed significant tensions, including fear of on-campus encounters, lack of trust, and narrative gaps among students, which were exacerbated during the war. There was also a fear of losing any common ground. Several preliminary measures were developed in response, including "Dormitory Trustees", student mediation, intercultural workshops, and tools for lecturers in diverse classrooms during wartime.

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev values diversity as a cornerstone of excellence. The University strives to maximize the talents of all segments of Israeli society, fostering diverse, inclusive, and dynamic research and educational environments. These environments not only create a common academic space but also preserve unique identities within the University. Ben-Gurion University is committed to ensuring that everyone feels a sense of belonging and partnership, fostering dialogue among diverse communities, and nurturing graduates who embody these values. These efforts are undertaken while upholding academic freedom, freedom of expression, and mutual respect, and actively opposing injustice, racism, and discrimination. During 2023, the Office for Diversity and Inclusion continued its work in four key areas: A. FOSTERING ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP AMONG RESEARCH STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS Three grants were secured to cultivate emerging scientific leadership among Arab research students in STEM fields. They were applied to creating a new definition of academic excellence that gives greater opportunities for inclusion to underrepresented groups. A summer track was created to facilitate the transition to master’s studies, and another grant will forge academic leadership in environmental studies among Arab graduate students.

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Ben-Gurion University of the Negev