Harvard University is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines who make a difference globally. Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.
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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is the military of the State of Israel, responsible for the nation's defense and security. Founded in 1948, the IDF ranks among the most battle-tested armed forces in the world, having had to defend the country in six major wars.
At the age of 18, men and women are required to do mandatory military service in one of the IDF's three branches - Ground Forces, Air Force, and Navy. The Israel Defense Forces is unique in its inclusion of mandatory conscription of women. Men and women of all ranks serve side by side in various positions such as pilots, captains, combat soldiers, intelligence, doctors, technicians and much more. This national service brings together Israelis from all sectors of society, religions and backgrounds.
The IDF is considered to be one of the world's most technologically-advanced militaries and contributes greatly to Israel's thriving culture of tech start-ups and cutting-edge innovation.
INSS (The Institute for National Security Studies) is an independent academic institute that studies key issues relating to Israel's national security and Middle East affairs. Through its mixture of researchers with backgrounds in academia, the military, government, and public policy, INSS is able to contribute to the public debate and governmental deliberation of leading strategic issues and offer policy analysis and recommendations to decision makers and public leaders, policy analysts, and theoreticians, both in Israel and abroad. As part of its mission, it is committed to encourage new ways of thinking and expand the traditional contours of establishment analysis.
Conceiving of security studies as a dynamic interdisciplinary field that involves military, intellectual, economic, and social resources, the Institute strives to reflect that diversity and complexity through research and policy recommendations of the highest standard. Complementing the traditional areas of defense, security doctrine, and politics, INSS has expanded its focus to include the “softer” components of national security, such as domestic trends and social processes.
The Institute is non-partisan, independent, and autonomous in its fields of research and expressed opinions. As an external institute of Tel Aviv University, it maintains a strong association with the academic environment. In addition, it has a strong association with the political and military establishment.