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New Global Research Seminar explores Israel’s influence as a ‘High Tech Nation’

August 23, 2021

Robert G. Fuller, Jr. Professor of Law Gideon Parchomovsky and Muhammad Sarahne SJD’20 will lead the course, which includes a research trip to Israel over Spring Break.

This fall, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s newest Global Research Seminar (GRS),The High Tech Nation (Israel),” will explore the intricacies of Israel’s recent evolution into a global leader in the world’s expanding technology economy.

Israel is home to just 0.12% of the world’s population but has the third largest high tech economy in the world after the U.S. and U.K. Over the past several decades, Israel’s GDP has multiplied considerably. In 2020, high tech comprised over half of the nation’s exports, amounting to a staggering $57 billion.

GRS students will engage with experts in related fields to gain a nuanced understanding of the country’s unique experience as the industry continues to expand and impact nearly every aspect of life in Israel.

Robert G. Fuller, Jr. Professor of Law Gideon Parchomovsky and Muhammad Sarahne SJD’20, who are co-teaching the course, stressed that their goal in curating the lineup of speakers is to encourage classroom discussion that invites a wealth of topics, opinions, and angles.

During the fall semester, class sessions will include a series of guest lecturers from diverse professional backgrounds who will share their work and perspectives on a variety of elements connected to Israel’s high tech sector. Then, over Spring Break, students will embark on a week-long research trip to Israel, meeting with industry experts for a remarkable series of discussions.

The seminar will address many dimensions of Israel’s high tech economy. Participants will be pushed to look beyond financial effects and reflect upon social and environmental implications. The intersecting themes of the course are expected to draw students with a wide range of interests – including business, international law, public policy, and technology law.

Students should leave the course with a keen understanding of which elements of Israel’s high tech sector can be viewed as strengths and which elements might, with the benefit of hindsight, be improved if replicated in another setting.

Global Research Seminars provide unique, highly interactive spaces for participants to engage deeply with both peers and faculty members. These connections stay with participants well into their careers, cultivating a truly global network of legal innovators prepared to address the most cutting-edge concepts in law, economics, technology and beyond.

Interested JD and LLM students can submit applications for “The High Tech Nation (Israel),” which meets this fall on Thursdays at 1:15pm, through Wednesday, August 25. Visit the latest GRS Announcement to access the application and additional details on this program.

Learn more about the Law School’s global-oriented curriculum.