Shattering Another Glass Ceiling: Professor Sarab Abu-Rabia Queder Receives Honorary Doctorate from Weizmann Institute of Science

The Weizmann Institute of Science has awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree to Prof. Sarab Abu-Rabia Queder, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev . The prestigious honor was awarded on May 19, 2024, in recognition of her “outstanding academic achievements in the sociology of education, her steadfast pursuit of excellence and inclusion, which has made her a powerful role model for Bedouin women as well as for other sectors of Israel’s society, and her untiring dedication to building a better world for minority women and marginalized communities.”

"Your striving to build a better future for marginalized communities, and your deep dedication to the integration of minorities and gender equality - all of these contributed greatly to the promotion of pluralism and social justice in Israel," it was stated in the reasons for awarding the degree.

Prof. Abu-Rabia Queder completed all three degrees at Ben-Gurion University, and specialized in gender studies as part of a post-doctorate at Oxford University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. At BGU she is a professor in the School of Education and leverages her academic position to promote research on inequality in education and employment among minorities. She has gained a reputation as a leading researcher of women and gender in Arab society in Israel, reflecting her commitment to the population from which she came. In this way she serves as a role model for women from different communities.

Throughout her academic career, Prof. Abu-Rabia Queder has studied feminist discourse in Bedouin society and given a research platform to Bedouin women from the Negev whose voices have otherwise not been heard. In addition to her academic work, she is active in organizations working for minority and women's rights. In 2022 she was awarded a Medal of Distinction by the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in recognition of these efforts.

Abu-Rabia, the daughter of Israel’s first Bedouin doctor Dr. Younes Abu-Rabia, is the first Bedouin woman in Israel to receive a professorship.