Tel Aviv University (TAU) is Israel's largest and a leading public research university, located in northwest Tel Aviv. Founded in 1956 through the merger of three pre-existing research institutes—the Tel Aviv School of Law and Economics, the Institute of Natural Sciences, and the Institute of Jewish Studies—it enrolls over 30,000 students. The university comprises 9 faculties, 27 schools (including a law school known for producing many prominent legal professionals and public figures), 106 departments, 340 research centers, and 400 laboratories, with affiliations to 17 teaching hospitals and 18 performing arts centers. It offers comprehensive programs across sciences, technology, engineering, humanities, and social sciences, including degrees in medicine, sciences, and humanities, with particular strengths in science and technology, economics, business, computer science, engineering, Middle East studies, law, and social sciences. TAU is a leading research institution with prominent centers for Middle East studies and strategic affairs, such as the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), and is known for its programs in public policy and international relations. It fosters a strong tech innovation ecosystem and is renowned for its contributions to research and entrepreneurship, ranking 7th globally in 2022 by PitchBook Data for the number of alumni who have founded venture capital-backed companies—the highest outside the United States. Its alumni, often called the alma mater of many Silicon Wadi entrepreneurs, have founded numerous companies and include many leaders in the Israeli tech sector, politics, and business, underscoring its pivotal role in Israel's tech and startup ecosystem. The university maintains strong international ties through organizations like Tel Aviv University USA (AFTAU), a nonprofit founded in 1955 to support research and innovation, with notable patrons including Haim Saban. As Israel's flagship academic institution, TAU plays a pivotal role in national and international scholarly discourse, with active alumni networks such as the TAU Alumni Organization established in 2015 under Sigalit Ben Hayoun.