Rishon went up to blessProf. Yossi Makori, The head of the OT who talked about his commitment to the advancement of women in the academy. In the meantime, he announced a budget in a unique format that will allow sub-specialization for young doctors who cannot go abroad for that purpose.

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Prof. Idit Tshuva, Deputy Chairman of the MLA, welcomed the forum and emphasized that in order to change the gender structure of the faculty in universities, a profound change in our cultural structure is required. Later, he highlighted the need to balance the adjustments to the trajectory of women's lives, and to make sure that the adjustments do not hold them back, and in fact harm their advancement.

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Prof. David Harel, The President of the National Academy of Sciences, blessed, strengthened and proudly announced that recently in the round of selection of new members to the Academy, 5 women scientists and 5 scientists were elected, a welcome numerical equality.

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On the side of the congratulators, Prof. Uri Sivan, President of the Technion, Prof. Mimi Eisenstadt, President of the Open University, Prof. Amnon Albek, Rector of Bar Ilan University took the trouble and participated in the conference,  Prof. Barak Medina, Rector of the Hebrew University, Prof. Albert Panhasov, Rector of Ariel University, Prof. Assaf Midani, Member of the Legislative Council, Prof. Emmanuel Trachtenberg, former Chairman of the Tel Aviv University, Prof. Roni Shay, former Rector of Tel Aviv University and more. The participation of these distinguished members in the conference indicates a recognition of the forum and an expression of the desire and willingness to cooperate closely with Afik and for that we fully appreciate it.
 

"From talk to action" was the title of the lecture by the chairman of Afik at the academyProf. Rachel Erhardwhich first showed data on Israel's low position in relation to the countries of the European Union in regards to the number of female researchers in the academic staff and in senior positions in universities. Epik Forum in the academy will continue to focus on influencing policy design and decision-making at all levels (VAT, VRA) and developing gender leadership of female researchers from the pre-tenure stage to the most senior female researchers destined for key positions.

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Prof. Uta Frebert from the Max Planck Institute in Germany, who headed the task force to promote gender equality at the institution in 2014,  
presented the success of the   policy of increasing the number of faculty members in this leading research institute in the short term. The main conclusions were that there is a need for political pressure external to the institution, and that the women committed to the process should have gender awareness.

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Going forwardProf. Bat Sheva Kerem, a member of Afik's Executive Committee, presented data on the minority of female researchers in the STEM subjects, and detailed the challenges and goals that Afik sees ahead of it, and which were brought up for discussion later in the conference in the round table discussions.

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Gender theoretical aspects were presented byProf. Henriette Dahan-ChelevFor example, the dilemma of female researchers between cooperating with the conservative academic establishment, and playing by its rules in a male arena, and channeling the rage thatequality Stirs them into action  The one who follows the rules while taking the risk that they will pay a personal price even if they pave the way for the women who will come after them. Prof. Dahan-Kalev offers two strategies for change in research for the advancement of women, and in doing so she emphasized that not all female researchers are one group, and there are class, cultural, and economic differences between them. Therefore, the cooperation of middle-class women with men of their status stands in the way of objects in the promotion of women in science in an institution that feminism is not interested in.

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The panel "Researchers' conversation - past, present and future" moderated byDr. Hila Korech, included theProf. Ruth Arnon, Prof. Sara Abu Kaf and Dr. Gili Bisker.  The participants shared personal experiences and personal insights from their academic careers.  Through personal experiences we were exposed to the discourse of intersecting identities that also exists within the universities and outlines academic careers: age, sect, nationality, all of which have an impact, and this in addition to gender, also in the apparently sterile academic environment.

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The frontal part of the day ended with a lecture byd"R Ilana Dayanwho told about the work of the press as a woman, about the need to insist on your place as a woman interviewing a man, about the journalistic success of lifting the curtain a little behind which the interviewee tries to hide, but also about the doubt in choosing articles that present a good story but from which a gendered power structure is reflected that is sinful to reality and thus may cause Injustice to women.

 

After the lectures in the plenary, we moved in the last part of the day - from talk to action. Under the direction of Dr. Samdar PoratAnd with the participation of about 70 female researchers, discussions were held around round tables on the challenges and goals now facing Afik in the academy. At each table sat a group of female participants, a pre-arranged moderator and the record of the discussion. The topics we discussed were: how to create a significant systemic impact, leadership development, here and now - burning issues, how to translate Afik companies' ideas into action, ensuring Afik's sustainability over time, the added value of female researchers from Afik companies, whether and how researchers will be integrated into Afik's activities. After coming up with ideas and discussing them, the representatives of the groups presented the proposed courses of action to the plenary.  

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