The Hoffman Leadership and Responsibility Fellowship Program
The Hoffman Leadership and Responsibility Fellowship Program was established in 2006 by Harry OAM and Sylvia Hoffman of Perth, Australia, for doctoral candidates from all Hebrew University faculties and fields of study. Twelve fellows are accepted each year to the three year program that provides tools, support and a stipend that enables them to focus solely on their research, while also honing their skills and developing their commitment to social and community leadership.
The fellows in the program meet every other week during the academic year for lectures, discussions and workshops, and participate in a two-day intensive workshop during the summer break. The fellows also attend social and cultural events together. The fortnightly activities focus on a range of themes, including theoretical and applied implications and characteristics of leadership, the meaning of individual social responsibility, life narratives of social leaders and the complexities of Israeli society in a variety of arenas.
The program aims to provide a mixture of insights and aptitudes as well as learning and capability enhancement through meetings with "role models" and a lengthy interactive group process. The process includes participation in lectures, workshops, group discussions and other activities. The lecturers are invited by the fellows based on their areas of interest, and they include active social leaders representing a wide spectrum of areas, experts on leadership and responsibility, academics conducting research in the relevant areas, and so on.
Focusing on responsibility alongside cultivating leadership, the program requires all Hoffman fellows to express their personal responsibility by contributing to society through volunteering for a minimum of two hours a week. Fellows generally volunteer in areas related to youth activities, education, health care, peace activism, environmental issues and policy change, and also work with minorities.
"I believe that leadership is something that comes from an internal set of values and is associated with a strong conviction regarding goals and beliefs. Our Hoffman scholars share these qualities and are empowering each other through their academic excellence and expressed dedication to contribute to society" –Prof. Amalya Oliver-Lumerman
"You can find quite a few programs supporting students of academic excellence or programs endorsing their social involvement. However, Hoffman is the only program that binds the two themes with the magic glue of mutual cross stimulation between participants"-Prof. Roi Baer
Alumni: Class of 2007 / Class of 2008 / Class of 2009 / Class of 2010
Class of 2011 / Class of 2012 / Class of 2013 / Class of 2014 /
Fellows: Class of 2016 / Class of 2017 /