Tel Aviv University Plans Latin American Institute to Strengthen Cultural Ties

Tel Aviv University will establish a Latin American Institute to strengthen cultural ties between Israel and Latin America, Dr. George S. Wise, president of the University, announced here yesterday. Dr. Wise arrived here on completion of a visit to five countries in Latin America during which he explained the nature of the project to the ministers of education in each of the countries and to the heads of their universities, and secured their cooperation in the project. In each country, Dr. Wise said, the project was looked upon as an implementation of the cultural agreements between Israel and the countries – Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Venezuela – signed in 1958.

The new institute will begin functioning on the Tel Aviv campus in 1968, Dr. Wise said. It will provide instruction in the history, government, social and economic structure, culture and art of Latin America. The courses will be given by the Tel Aviv University staff and by exchange professors who will lecture in Spanish and Portuguese. Plans are now being worked out, Dr. Wise said, for a faculty exchange program between Tel Aviv and leading Latin American universities.

Tel Aviv University will provide 25 scholarships each year for students from Latin America. Five scholarships for each of the participating countries will be made available for the first year. Under arrangements made by Dr. Wise with the ministers of education and the university rectors in the five countries, committees have been established there to select the scholarship students. The ambassador of Israel is an honorary member of the committee in each country. Selections are now being made so that the first scholarship recipients can begin their studies at Tel Aviv University this term.