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Campus & Community
Two new programs enhance Harvard’s scholarly engagement with Israel
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
Opportunities for undergraduate international study and research exchange in biomedicine
Harvard has introduced two new programs that aim to enhance the University’s scholarly partnerships with Israeli institutions and expand opportunities for both students and researchers. A collaboration announced this week with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) will provide study abroad prospects for undergraduates throughout the academic year and into the summer. Furthermore, earlier this month, Harvard Medical School initiated applications for the Kalaniyot Postdoctoral Fellowships aimed at Israeli researchers.
Undergraduate study abroad: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Harvard’s agreement with BGU will present Harvard College students with year-round chances to study and accumulate credits towards their degree in Israel starting in spring 2026.
BGU, located in Be’er-Sheva, was established in 1969 as the inaugural campus in southern Israel’s Negev desert. It has since expanded to three campuses, serving 20,000 students and 4,000 faculty members. Its community is engaged in innovative research and academics in various fields, including sciences, history, humanities, business, and management, and the institution is recognized as a regional leader in studies related to climate change and desert research. Alongside its three campuses, BGU hosts multiple interdisciplinary research institutes specializing in biotechnology, solar energy, desert studies, and Jewish and Israeli culture, among other domains. More than 100,000 alumni occupy prominent roles in research and development, healthcare, industry, and the arts both in Israel and globally. A noteworthy commitment of BGU is its dedication to social and environmental stewardship, actively contributing to the development of the Negev region of Israel.
Current offerings at BGU include an archaeology course that involves students in ongoing excavations; marine science classes focusing on the Mediterranean; and a sustainable agricultural practices course aimed at countering desertification and conserving resources. All courses are conducted in English, allowing visiting students to work alongside Israeli peers to promote dialogue and cross-cultural interaction.
Professor Michal Bar-Asher Siegal, BGU’s vice president for international engagement, emphasized the university’s dedication to impact and collaboration: “Ben-Gurion University aims for excellence in research and education, alongside innovation and applied research that positively affect lives globally. We eagerly anticipate this partnership with Harvard University and the cultivation of collaborative relationships crucial for nurturing our future leaders.”
“We are excited to collaborate with BGU to provide this novel opportunity for undergraduate study abroad,” stated Mark Elliott, Harvard’s vice provost for international affairs. “This partnership with BGU represents the latest chapter in Harvard’s extensive history of engagement with higher education institutions throughout Israel, and I am confident this will yield transformative experiences for students and bolster academic cooperation across the region in the years ahead.”
Amanda Claybaugh, dean of undergraduate education at Harvard College, remarked: “I am thrilled to expand our relationships with Israeli universities by including BGU, as it offers unique opportunities that are not available at Harvard: learning about archaeology at a dig site, exploring marine biology in the Mediterranean, and understanding climate and sustainability from leading experts in desert agriculture.”
Undergraduate students can embark on study abroad with BGU starting in spring 2026, with options available for spring, full academic year, or summer study. For details regarding term-time studies, please visit the Office for International Education’s approved programs page. The application deadline for the spring 2026 semester will be October 1.
In addition to BGU, the OIE also facilitates undergraduate study abroad opportunities with Tel Aviv University; the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Technion – Israel Institute of Technology; and the University of Haifa. Harvard’s Center for Jewish Studies and Harvard Divinity School similarly offer opportunities for graduate student exchanges.
For details on summer study, see OIE’s list of summer programs. The deadline for summer 2026 study abroad applications will be January 29 (for funding and credit, programs lasting 6+ weeks) or April 1.
Students eager to inquire about term-time or summer programs can email [email protected] to arrange a meeting, or attend drop-in sessions starting in September, available from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Postgraduate research exchange: Kalaniyot Fellowships at HMS
The University is also striving to fortify its academic connections to Israel through scholarly exchanges. Harvard Medical School recently announced the launch of the Kalaniyot Postdoctoral Fellowships at Harvard Medical School, which will invite researchers from Israel to undertake postdoctoral training in fundamental biomedical research at HMS.
Funded by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the Dorot Foundation, the Kalaniyot Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to individuals residing in Israel who have completed a Ph.D. and wish to conduct biomedical research in a lab on the HMS campus or at an affiliated facility (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, or Massachusetts General Hospital). Selected candidates will receive a fellowship lasting two to three years, commencing in January, with an option for extension.
This program is organized by the Harvard Medical School sector of the Kalaniyot chapter at Harvard. HMS took the lead in establishing Kalaniyot at Harvard, supported by the local chapter of the Kalaniyot Foundation, a national entity that works to strengthen connections between American…
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and Israeli scholars, aiming to foster academic interchange and distinction in both Israel and the United States. The University is presently considering broadening the initiative to incorporate additional Schools at Harvard.
“The objective of the Kalaniyot Postdoctoral Fellowships is to elevate scientific distinction and proficiency by attracting the most promising research talent from Israel to Harvard Medical School and our associated hospitals,” remarked Naama Kanarek, HMS assistant professor of pathology at Boston Children’s Hospital, who leads the faculty section of the HMS Kalaniyot chapter alongside Matthew Meyerson, HMS professor of genetics and medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Mark Poznansky, director of the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center at Mass General Hospital and HMS professor of medicine. “We anticipate the advantages of academic collaboration with these researchers, as well as the reinforced connections between HMS and scholars throughout Israel that will ensue.”
The new initiative builds upon other fruitful partnerships between HMS and Israeli institutions, such as the Ivan and Francesca Berkowitz Family Living Laboratory Collaboration, initiated in 2021 to unite researchers from HMS and Clalit Research Institute to explore pressing issues in precision medicine and predictive health. Since its launch, the Berkowitz Clinic for Undiagnosed Cases has effectively solved numerous intricate genetic enigmas, facilitating prenatal diagnosis and disease prevention while identifying novel disease-inducing genes and risk factors published for worldwide application. Concurrently, Clalit researchers developed groundbreaking analytical models to improve genetic interpretation, benefiting both Israeli and international patient communities.
This kind of cooperation is not exclusive to HMS; faculty throughout Harvard are actively involved in scholarly endeavors concerning Israel. Various centers and programs across the University — including the Center for Jewish Studies, Harvard Law School’s Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Israeli and Jewish Law, and HKS Belfer Center’s Middle East Initiative — annually host Israeli fellows, visiting scholars, and speakers.