Partner institutions

Leipzig University (LU) was founded in 1409, making it one of the oldest universities in Europe. It is a comprehensive university with 14 faculties, 465 professorships, and more than 31,000 students. As an outward-looking and modern institution, LU strives to be one of the leading universities in Germany. A member of the German U15 network, the university is today one of the country’s top institutions for cutting-edge research and medical expertise. LU comprises 14 faculties with over 130 institutes and centres, as well as 17 central institutions. The university’s broad academic spectrum ranges from the humanities and social sciences to the natural sciences, life sciences, and medicine.

With 158 degree programmes, LU offers a uniquely diverse range of subjects. It is the most popular institution of higher education in the Free State of Saxony. More than 31,000 students are currently enrolled, with over 7,000 new students beginning their studies each year.

Leipzig University’s research fields form the interface for its intensive collaboration with other scientific institutions in Leipzig, including three Max Planck Institutes, two Fraunhofer Institutes, four Leibniz Institutes, two Helmholtz Centres, an integrated research and treatment centre funded by the federal government, and an outstanding university hospital.

LU is a member of the Leipzig Science Network, founded in 2018. This network aims to deepen cooperation between higher education and non-university research institutions, while simultaneously enhancing Leipzig’s national and international profile as a centre of scientific excellence.

As an outward-looking institution, LU is part of a global network of research and teaching partnerships. The university collaborates with a wide range of international partners across all continents and is expanding its strategic university partnerships — for example, with Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and the University of Graz (Austria) — into a network of international research and degree programmes. As a member of Arqus, LU also participates in the European Commission’s European Universities Initiative.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI), founded in 1925 by prominent intellectuals such as Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud, is Israel’s first major Zionist institution. Over the years, it has become a global leader in research, producing Nobel laureates and influential alumni, including world leaders. The university plays a vital role in shaping Jerusalem’s cultural and academic identity.

It emphasizes four key goals:

• Academic excellence in research and teaching
• International leadership
• Strong ties between academia and industry
• Community engagement

The Hebrew University prioritizes multidisciplinary innovation, offering top-tier programs, fully funded graduate scholarships, and cutting-edge research infrastructure to attract young scholars. It maintains strong global partnerships through joint degrees, exchange opportunities, and international programs.

The university fosters industry collaboration through research partnerships, the commercialization of patents via Yissum (its technology transfer company), and a forthcoming innovation park designed to connect academia with leading companies.

As Jerusalem’s largest employer and home to over 25,000 students, the university is committed to social responsibility, diversity, and inclusion. Now entering its second century, it remains dedicated to advancing scientific, cultural, and economic progress in Israel and beyond.

The Leibniz Institute for Jewish History and Culture – Simon Dubnow (DI) is dedicated to interdisciplinary research spanning multiple epochs of Jewish life in Central and Eastern Europe, from the Middle Ages to the present. Its work adopts a pan-European perspective and encompasses areas of Jewish emigration, particularly to Israel as well as to North and Latin America.

The Dubnow Institute follows the secular tradition of its namesake, Simon Dubnow (1860–1941), a Russian-Jewish historian who bridged Eastern and Western European Jewish experiences.

At the DI, Jewish history is always examined in relation to its non-Jewish surroundings and is understood as a seismograph of broader historical developments. To reflect the complexity of Jewish life and the interweaving of social, political, and cultural dynamics, research at the institute productively combines historical inquiry with methodologies from the humanities and social sciences. Particular emphasis is placed on refining approaches from intellectual history, memory studies, and lived experience.

The institute shares its research findings with both academic audiences and the broader public through events, university teaching, and a wide array of publications. These include the internationally renowned bilingual Jahrbuch des Dubnow-Instituts / Dubnow Institute Yearbook, the essay series toldot and hefez, and the magazine Jewish History & Culture. On the blog Mimeo, scholars present insights into their current research projects. The institute’s special library collection is also accessible to students and visiting researchers.

National and international research collaboration plays a central role at the institute. Since 2018, the Dubnow Institute has been a member of the Leibniz Association. It cooperates closely with Leipzig University, the Saxon Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Leipzig, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and maintains strong ties with numerous academic institutions in Israel, the USA, Europe, and Germany. The institute serves as a vibrant hub for scholars from around the world.