Two Science Education Fellowships in a Prestigious Leadership Program

Leaders of educational organizations operate in a complex eco-system, which can often make it difficult to implement changes and advance new policies, especially if they lack good connections, and expert knowledge of long-term strategic planning. In order to lead system-wide changes, to affect public perception and to turn around nationwide trends, such as the decline in numbers of students studying mathematics and the sciences, there is a need for skilled professional leaders from across different sectors, who have been trained to be effective leaders.

The Maoz Fellowship Program, established four years ago, aims to enhance Israel’s public and civil sectors by strengthening its senior leadership and preparing them to tackle Israel’s most pressing social and economic challenges. 32 fellows are chosen each year in a very rigorous selection process; those that make it into the program are are at a point in their career where they are ready to advance into a senior leadership position within the public sphere and initiate important reforms for the benefit of Israeli society.

The program includes seminars with renowned scholars, senior government executives, leaders, politicians and journalists. At the end of the year fellows attend a two-week workshop at the Harvard Business School, where they learn using its unique case-study methodology, led by Prof. Joshua Margolis. They then receive individual mentoring on the job, where they are encouraged to implement a project they developed during the program, and participate in an ongoing alumni network.

One of the content areas the program is only beginning to address is education and the education system. A handful of program alumni serve in education institutions, several of whom are also Trump foundation grantees, including Karen Tal, Director of Tovanot B’Hinuch; Asaf Banner, Director of Teach First Israel; and Shirly Rimon, Deputy Director of Pedagogy at Branco Weiss. However, the program itself has had only marginal expertise and reference to specific educational content and context.

In consultation with the foundation’s staff, Maoz is now proposing to create a small fellowship within the program on an experimental basis, which will focus on improving educational achievement in high school mathematics and the sciences. These fellows will be chosen from among the foundation’s partner organizations, school networks, districts, and municipalities. In addition to participating in the Maoz program and assimilating into its professional network, they will be taught specific knowhow on reforming mathematics and science education in Israel and other countries; they will be exposed to the foundation’s grant portfolio, and will prepare their final project on this subject.

* The text above shows the grant as approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors / Grant 129