Strengthening BGU’s European Connections
BGU leaders visited Germany, the UK, and France to strengthen international partnerships, counter growing academic boycott efforts, and maintain close ties with European friends and supporters.
When the annual Board of Governors meeting was postponed from May to October 2026, maintaining the momentum of BGU’s relationships with friends and supporters around the world became especially important. In late June, a University delegation travelled to Germany, the UK, and France for a series of meetings and gatherings intended to sustain those personal connections, share the latest developments at BGU, and discuss the growing challenges facing Israeli academia.
The delegation was led by President Prof. Daniel Chamovitz, Vice-President for Public Affairs and Resource Development Jeff Kaye, and Director of Global Partnership Development and Donor Relations Yamit Shannon-Mizrahi.
The visit began in Berlin where BGU Germany President Richard Markus welcomed 55 guests from academia, public life, business, and the Jewish community to an evening reception with Prof. Chamovitz. Guests heard directly about BGU’s work, its role in the Negev, and the University’s response to a period of exceptional national and academic challenges.
The following morning, members of the German Bundestag hosted Prof. Chamovitz, who also chairs Israel’s Association of University Heads, for a parliamentary breakfast focused on addressing the boycott of Israeli universities and researchers. The discussion examined the pressures confronting Israeli scholars and institutions, as well as the need to safeguard research partnerships, academic exchange, and the importance international academic collaboration.
Travelling on to Munich, the delegation was received at City Hall by Deputy Mayor Mona Fuchs. Opening remarks were delivered by Holocaust survivor Dr. Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria and one of Germany's most respected Jewish leaders (Read the full text of her remarks here).The gathering brought together representatives of Bavarian universities, scientific institutions, business organizations, and the Jewish community, creating opportunities to develop BGU’s relationships across the region. Participants included senior representatives of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Technical University of Munich, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria.
Later that evening, Charlotte Knobloch, hosted a gathering at the Ohel Jakob Synagogue and Jewish Centre. In conversation with members of the community, Prof. Chamovitz reflected on academic leadership during a turbulent period in Israel and emphasized the enduring value of international cooperation, particularly when universities and researchers are under political pressure.
The tour continued in London, where Anne Rotman de Picciotto hosted a luncheon for current and prospective board members of the Ben-Gurion University Foundation UK. The meeting combined updates from BGU with conversations about the Foundation’s future and opportunities to broaden engagement with the University.
That evening, longtime supporter Dr. Harry Sieratzki hosted a dinner that brought established supporters together with new friends interested in learning more about BGU’s research, students, and impact.
The tour concluded in Paris, where BGU France President David Hozé and Sarah Hozé welcomed 26 guests to their home. The evening focused on safeguarding BGU and Israeli research in the face of growing boycott efforts and preserving the international alliances on which academic progress depends. It also introduced the University to potential new partners while strengthening longstanding connections.
Across all three countries, the visit demonstrated the value of meeting face to face. It helped sustain relationships during the extended interval between Board of Governors gatherings and reaffirmed that BGU’s international community remains an essential source of friendship, partnership, and support.
