Goethe University Frankfurt and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) have announced a significant milestone in their ongoing scientific collaboration within the realm of childhood studies. The prestigious institutions have formalized their partnership by signing a cooperation agreement to establish ‘The Center for Childhood and Child Welfare in Context.’
This collaboration is an extension of the longstanding relationship between Goethe University and Hebrew University, marked by extensive research, support for early career researchers, and excellence in university teaching. Notable joint initiatives include the International Study of Children’s Well Being, the activities of the International Society for Child Indicators, and collaborative research on child sexual abuse inquiries in both Germany and Israel. Additionally, an annual German-Israeli master’s seminar has been conducted since 2016.
Jerusalem
The primary objective of this research collaboration is to deepen and broaden their academic and scientific engagement in childhood research and social science research. The newly established Center for Childhood and Child Welfare will concentrate on various crucial topics, including children’s well-being, children’s rights, children’s welfare, vulnerability, violence, abuse, and neglect. Furthermore, it will explore questions related to professionalization, quality, digitality, digitalization, global warming, biodiversity, and the environment. The Center aims to amplify children’s voices, address issues of precarity and vulnerability, and scrutinize age as a social category.
The Center will engage academic researchers from diverse disciplines, such as childhood research, family research, educational science, pedagogy, migration research, social work, and healthcare from both universities. The ultimate goal is to become an integral part of the international childhood studies community and enhance global networking in this field.
Professor Asher Ben-Arieh, Dean of the School of Social Work and Social Welfare at the Hebrew University, underscored the significance of this collaboration, stating: “This collaboration between the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Goethe University Frankfurt is a testament to our shared commitment to advancing research in childhood studies. By joining forces, we aim to provide a brighter and more secure future for children worldwide. Through our combined expertise and dedication, we can make a real difference in understanding and improving the lives of children and families.”
Goethe University President Prof. Enrico Schleiff expressed his delight in seeing the two universities leverage their strengths in childhood research. He stated, “The Center for Childhood and Child Welfare in Context further intensifies and expands our existing close cooperation. I would like to thank everyone involved at both universities, first and foremost among them Prof. Asher Ben-Arieh and Prof. Sabine Andresen, for their great commitment to making this future-oriented international cooperation possible.”
Prof. Sabine Andresen, Professor of Educational Science at Goethe University Frankfurt, with a focus on social pedagogy and family research, highlighted the depth of the cooperation. She said, “Our experiences with the master’s seminars, especially in which students from Frankfurt and Jerusalem not only learn together but also discuss and compare what it was like to grow up in both countries, have led us to deepen the cooperation. For students who will later work in youth welfare offices or as child protection specialists, for example, this exchange about both systems, about tailor-made services or barriers to the protection of children and adolescents is game-changing. We also found that a lot of friendships have emerged from these seminars.”
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