Mission and objectives

The Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations was established in 1972 at the Hebrew University. Since its inception, the Leonard Davis Institute has provided a nonpartisan and independent platform for research, education, and discussion on issues of international studies in general and Israel’s diplomacy and foreign policy in particular.

The Institute has three broad aims when planning its programs: To promote research in international relations theory, adopting a broad perspective that draws on a variety of disciplines; To present the universal themes of international politics to the Israeli public, thereby enhancing the national discourse on these matters; To put the Institute’s expertise and consulting capability at the service of national institutions conducting the security and foreign affairs of Israel.   

The Institute is responsible for the Davis Graduate School, a fully funded international PhD program in IR, hosts post-doctoral trainees, provides seed money for individual and research groups, organises workshops and international conferences and runs the Sophie Davis Forum on Gender, Conflict Resolution and Peace.