Prof. Michal Bar-Asher Siegal to be appointed Vice President for Global Engagement in place of Prof. Limor Aharonson-Daniel
Prof. Aharonson-Daniel spearheaded the internationalization of the University leading to a sharp rise in research students from abroad and study abroad options for BGU students
The University's Vice President for Global Engagement works to establish strategic ties abroad to leverage the university's research, strengthen academic excellence and commitment to social impact in the developing world, as well as enhance the University's international reputation.
Prof. Aharonson-Daniel, who has served in the position for the past five years, will step down at the end of December. Prof. Aharonson-Daniel served two terms, including three years as Vice Rector and five years as Vice President, i.e. 8 years in total.
During her tenure, she led the internationalization of the university, which has seen tremendous development and growth of international activity, and the number of international students almost doubled. The most significant growth was among research students (an increase of 123% in doctoral students, 85% in postdocs and 75% in master's students). With this increase in numbers, the services provided to international students and researchers have been expanded significantly, culminating in BGU’s new Welcome Center which will serve as a one-stop-shop for all the administrative needs of international students.
During her tenure, several prominent international cooperation agreements were signed, including the establishment of the joint institute in New Jersey with NJIT, the establishment of a research institute in India, and cooperation agreements with leading universities in Morocco, China, and Ecuador.
Moreover, led by Prof. Aharonson-Daniel, the number of outgoing exchange students has quadrupled, and BGU students can now study for a semester at partner institutions abroad on five continents.
Prof. Aharonson-Daniel will return to head the Prepared Center for Emergency Response that she established at the university in 2010 and unfortunately, will be of great relevance in the upcoming years. Prof. Aharonson-Daniel has led groundbreaking research around the world on topics related to emergency and disaster scenarios.
Prof. Limor Aharonson-Daniel will be replaced by Prof. Michal Bar-Asher Siegal, a Talmud scholar and faculty member in the Goldstein-Goren Department of Jewish Thought. Prof. Bar -Asher Siegal, who holds a BA and MA from the Talmud Department at the Hebrew University and an MA and PhD from the Department of Religious Studies at Yale University, was a Star Scholar at Harvard University and winner of the Alon Fellowship from the Council for Higher Education, she was also an elected member and member of the Executive Committee of the Young Academy of Sciences. Most recently, Prof. Bar-Asher Siegal was invited to be a visiting professor at Yale University and Harvard Law School.
Her first book was published by Cambridge University Press in 2013 and won the Lautenschläger Research Prize from Heidelberg University. The book examined literary parallels between Christian monastic literature and the Babylonian Talmud and claimed direct connections between the two. Her second book was also published by Cambridge University Press in 2019 and won the Silver Prize at the H. Ronald National Jewish Book Award. It focuses on stories of heretics in the Babylonian Talmud and clarifies their Christian background.
President Prof. Daniel Chamovitz: I want to thank Prof. Aharonson-Daniel for her years of leadership and exceptional achievements. She has helped us increase the University's presence on the international map and I wish her success in her future challenges. Prof. Bar- Asher Siegal has difficult challenges in the near future. I am confident in our ability to continue to develop the university in the international arena and reaching our goals in this field."
