On Sunday, September 18, 2011, the Taub Center hosted a unique symposium with three of the leading researchers worldwide in the field of education.

The speakers presented cutting-edge research – in a non-academic setting – on education’s effect on societies and economies and on ways to improve educational systems. The findings were presented to senior Israeli policymakers and to the general public, followed by a high-level discussion pertaining directly to Israel.

Session 1 Chair: Ayal Kimhi, Hebrew University, Taub Center Deputy Director and Chair of the Taub Center Labor Policy Program

2:30 pm   Introduction
Greg Rosshandler, Chair of the Taub Center Board 
Dov Lautman, Israel Prize Laureate, Taub Center Board Member
Dan Ben-David, Tel-Aviv University, Taub Center Executive Director

3:00pm    Impact of Educational Attainment and Skills
Robert Topel (University of Chicago)

Session 2 Chair: Yossi Shavit Tel-Aviv University, Chair of the Taub Center Education Policy Program

4:00pm       Impact of Educational Quality
Eric Hanushek, Stanford University

4:45pm    Improving the Education System – What Works?
Adam Gamoran, University of Wisconsin-Madison: Presentation Part 1Presentation Part 2

Roundtable Chair:  Stanley Fischer, Governor of the Bank of Israel

6:00pm    Implications for Israel
Presentation:   Dan Ben-David, Tel-Aviv University, Taub Center Executive Director