The Minerva Center for Human Rights

The Minerva Center for Human Rights was established in January 1997 as a joint center of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv University, with the support of the Minerva Foundation Company for Research Ltd. in Germany. Since its establishment, the Minerva Center for Human Rights in Israel has served an important function in developing research and discourse in the field of human rights. The objectives of the Minerva Center are:

The main goals of the Center are to serve as an academic framework for interdisciplinary research and study, to promote German-Israeli academic cooperation and exchanges, and to promote academic cooperation between the participating Israeli institutions, all in the field of human rights. The Center coordinates research projects, organizes international conferences, seminars, and Faculty workshops, allocates research grants and fellowships, and engages in an array of public education events. The Center’s activities are geared towards promoting awareness, research, and enhanced academic interest in human rights from an interdisciplinary perspective, to serve as a resource for the human rights community in Israel, to encourage cutting-edge research in the field of human rights among scholars and students while also serving as a gateway to the international human rights community. It is a unique trait of the Minerva Center that, although situated within law faculties, its methodology and approach are open to all disciplines. This allows the Center to work with a broad spectrum of researchers and experts, all of whom are committed to human rights. The funding of the Center is based on interest received on endowment invested in 1997, and on matching funds from the University, and from collaborators for specific activities. The current Director of the TAU branch is Prof. Leora Bilsky.

Past Directors of the Tel-Aviv Branch of the Minerva Center:

Prof. Amos Shapira
Prof. Daphne Barak-Erez         
Prof. Chaim Gans         
Prof. Guy Mundlak       
Prof. Shai Lavi

More information about the Minerva center and its activities is available here. For additional information, please contact:

Ms. Idit Paiess-Fried

Secretary of the Minerva Center for Human Rights

Phone: (972)-3-6407719

Email: iditp@tauex.tau.ac.ul