Tel Aviv University facts for kids
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אוניברסיטת תל אביב (Hebrew)
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| Motto | בעקבות הלא נודע (Hebrew) |
|---|---|
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Motto in English
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Pursuing the Unknown |
| Type | Public research |
| Established | 1956 |
| Endowment | US$ 650 million (2024) |
| President | Ariel Porat |
| Rector | Mark Shtaif |
| Principal | Mordechai Kohen |
| Vice presidents |
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Academic staff
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1847 |
| Undergraduates | 15,285 (2019) |
| Postgraduates | 11,098 (2019) |
| 2,143 (2019) | |
| Location |
,
Israel
32°06′45″N 34°48′18″E / 32.11250°N 34.80500°E |
| Campus | Urban, 220 acres (89 ha) |
| Language | Hebrew, English |
| Colors | Black White |
Tel Aviv University (TAU) is a large public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. A public university is open to everyone, and a research university is a place where students and professors make new discoveries. With over 30,000 students, it is the biggest university in Israel.
Located in the northwestern part of Tel Aviv, the university is a major center for learning and research. It has 9 main subject areas called faculties, 27 schools, and hundreds of research centers and labs. It's a busy place where new ideas are born every day!
Contents
The Story of Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University was created in 1956. It was formed by joining three smaller schools: the Tel Aviv School of Law and Economics, the Institute of Natural Sciences, and the Academic Institute of Jewish Studies.
At first, the city of Tel Aviv ran the university. But in 1963, it became independent. That same year, the university moved to its current campus in the Ramat Aviv neighborhood. The campus was built on a large piece of land and has grown over the years.
The university also works with other colleges in Israel, like the Afeka College of Engineering in Tel Aviv. It even has a special telescope, the Wise Observatory, located in the Negev desert for studying the stars.
What Can You Study at TAU?
TAU is divided into different departments, called faculties and schools, where you can study almost anything you can imagine.
Main Faculties
A faculty is a major branch of the university focused on a specific area of study.
- Katz Faculty of the Arts: For students who love art, music, and theater.
- Fleischman Faculty of Engineering: For future inventors and builders.
- Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences: For studying math, physics, and chemistry.
- Entin Faculty of Humanities: For learning about history, languages, and philosophy.
- Buchmann Faculty of Law: For students who want to become lawyers.
- Wise Faculty of Life Sciences: For studying biology and living things.
- Faculty of Medicine: For training future doctors.
- Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences: For understanding society, politics, and people.
- Coller School of Management: For learning about business.
Independent Schools
These are special schools that focus on one particular subject.
- Berglas School of Economics: Studies how money and business work.
- Porter School of Environmental Studies: Focuses on protecting our planet.
- Buchmann-Mehta School of Music: A top school for talented musicians.
- David Azrieli School of Architecture: Teaches students how to design buildings.
- Sagol School of Neuroscience: Explores the mysteries of the brain.
A Global University
Tel Aviv University welcomes students from all over the world. The Lowy International School helps thousands of international students study at TAU each year. Most of their programs are taught in English.
The university partners with over 280 other universities in 46 different countries. This means students and professors can travel, share ideas, and work on projects with people from around the globe. For example, the law school has exchange programs with universities in the United States, Canada, Germany, and many other countries.
How Good is Tel Aviv University?
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| Global – Overall | |
| ARWU World | 201–300 (2024) |
| CWTS World | 84 (2024) |
| QS World | 223 (2026) |
| THE World | 201-250 (2025) |
| USNWR Global | 199 (2025) |
Universities are often ranked to see how they compare to others. Tel Aviv University is considered one of the best universities in the world.
- The QS World University Rankings often places TAU as the top university in Israel.
- It is highly respected for its research. One ranking said it was 22nd in the world for how often its research is mentioned by other experts.
- Its programs in subjects like Computer Science, Math, and Engineering are ranked among the top 100 in the world.
- PitchBook, a company that tracks business data, ranked TAU 7th in the world for having graduates who start their own successful companies.
Helping New Companies Grow
| Limited liability company (LLC) | |
| Industry | Venture capital |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | Tel Aviv University and Nimrod Cohen |
| Headquarters | , |
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Key people
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Nimrod Cohen |
In 2018, the university started TAU Ventures. This is a special company that helps new startup businesses get started. A startup is a small, new company with a big idea.
TAU Ventures gives money and advice to these new companies, especially those started by students or professors from the university. It helps them grow in areas like computer software, financial technology (fintech), and other high-tech fields. It's like a launchpad for great ideas!
Famous People from TAU
Many famous and successful people have either taught at Tel Aviv University or studied there.
Notable Teachers
- Yakir Aharonov: A world-famous physicist known for his discoveries in quantum mechanics.
- Anita Shapira: A leading historian who has written important books about the history of Israel.
- Ariel Rubinstein: An economist known for his work on game theory, which is the study of how people make decisions.
- Noga Alon: A brilliant mathematician and computer scientist.
- Ariel Porat: An expert in law and the current president of the university.
Famous Graduates
- Benny Gantz: A top general and important political figure in Israel.
- Ayelet Shaked: A politician who has served as Israel's Minister of Justice and Minister of Interior.
- Ilan Ramon: Israel's first astronaut, who tragically died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
- Etgar Keret: A popular writer whose short stories are read all over the world.
- Ari Folman: A filmmaker who directed the award-winning animated movie Waltz with Bashir.
- Gideon Sa'ar: A well-known Israeli politician.
University Name Changes
Tel Aviv University has received support from many people and families over the years. Sometimes, a part of the university is named after a person or family who gave a large donation.
The Faculty of Medicine was once named after the Sackler family. In recent years, there were public discussions about the family. Because of this, the university decided to remove the Sackler name from the medical school in 2023. This shows how universities can change over time based on new information and public values.
Images for kids
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The Leigh Engineering Faculty Boulevard on campus.
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The Vladimir Schreiber Institute of Mathematics.
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The Smolarz Auditorium, where lectures and events are held.
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Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University
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Daniel Chamovitz, a biologist and former president of Ben-Gurion University.
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Yisrael Friedman, a historian.
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Benjamin Isaac, a historian of the ancient world.
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Ariel Rubinstein, a famous economist.
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Anita Shapira, a leading Israeli historian.
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Lev Vaidman, a physicist known for his work in quantum mechanics.
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Ayelet Shaked, former Israel's Minister of Interior.
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Tal Friedman, a popular comedian and actor.
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Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut.
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Michael Harris, a scholar and author.
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See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Tel Aviv para niños
- Beth Hatefutsoth
- List of universities in Israel
- Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival
