The University of California, Los Angeles and Hebrew University of Jerusalem signed two memoranda of understanding on Tuesday.
The first calls for a biomedical research collaboration between the universities that would “identify research priorities, encourage interdisciplinary projects and create opportunities for learning, discovery and scientific exchange,” according to UCLA.
Dr. Steven Dubinett, dean of the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and associate vice chancellor for research, stated that “by bringing together complementary expertise and resources, we can help accelerate discoveries that benefit patients far beyond our own institutions.”
The second agreement sets out a five-year collaboration between UCLA’s Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies and Hebrew University that includes student exchange programs, research programs and joint conferences.
Steven Zipperstein, the center director, stated that the schools will work “together on a broad variety of mutually beneficial academic activities.”
Modi Ephraim, Israeli consul general to the Pacific Southwest, told JNS that the agreements “mark an important and inspiring step forward for academic cooperation between California and Israel.”
“These agreements—one establishing a joint framework for biomedical research and another creating a five‑year plan for scholarly exchange and collaborative teaching—reflect a shared commitment to advancing knowledge that benefits communities far beyond our two institutions,” he said.
“The signing of the MOUs reiterates the commitment of the two institutions to academic excellence and delegitimizes academic boycotting as a politically motivated tool that has no place in democratic societies,” Ephraim said. “We welcome UCLA’s leadership headed by Chancellor Julio Frenk in expanding these connections and look forward to seeing the discoveries, exchanges and new ideas that will emerge from this collaboration.”
Eveline Shekhman, CEO of the American Jewish Medical Association, told JNS that the association applauds the agreements.
“Israel is a global leader in biomedical research, and pairing its scientists with one of America’s top medical schools will speed discoveries that benefit patients everywhere,” Shekhman said. “At a time when some would isolate Israeli academia, UCLA has chosen collaboration. That is the right call for science and for medicine.”
