Democracy@TAU
Building Real Democracy at Tel Aviv University

​We are proud to launch Democracy@TAU – a revolutionary project, the first of its kind in the world, with a clear goal: to revive democracy. Not with slogans, but with action.

With the blessing of the university president, we are turning our campus into a living laboratory for real democracy: not just representative, but also deliberative and direct.

​

This is not just another academic study of democracy. This is the practice of democracy, in action. This is our message of hope and a blueprint for the future of Israeli society as a whole.

​

What is Democracy@TAU?

This project invites all 40,000 "university citizens"—students, academic faculty, and administrative staff—to take part in a complete democratic process, from start to finish. Instead of choosing who decides for us, we will decide our own path.

​

How does it work? In four decisive steps:

​

Step 1: You Choose the Topic!

The power is in your hands from the very first moment. The entire campus community is invited to vote and select the urgent issue that will be at the heart of this project. You will choose one of three fundamental questions:

1. Gender Segregation in Academia: Should the university permit academic programs with gender segregation on campus?

2. Freedom of Speech: What are the proper limits of free speech on campus?

3. Activism and Rule of Law: Should the university shut down its activities if the government acts in defiance of a Supreme Court ruling?
    

Step 2: The Student Assembly – Deep Deliberation, Not Shallow Debate

Once the topic is chosen, a "constituent assembly" of students from all faculties and degrees will be formed. Assembly members will be selected by a transparent lottery from all students who express their willingness to participate, ensuring an authentic representation of the student body.

The assembly will function as a unique, intensive academic course (granting 2-3 credits), dedicated to experiential learning. Over an intensive week of deliberations, lectures by leading experts, and small-group workshops, assembly members will study the issue in-depth, examine it from all angles, and collectively formulate a reasoned proposal to be put to a campus-wide vote.

To ensure full transparency, a dedicated website will reflect the process to the entire community. The site will provide real-time and post-session access to expert lectures, key documents, leading presentations, and participant testimonials, allowing every single person to form a well-informed opinion before the referendum.

​

Step 3: The Referendum – The Entire Campus Decides!

The student assembly's proposal will be brought before all 40,000 university citizens for a final decision. On a festive election day, every student and staff member will be able to vote and have a direct impact. This is direct democracy at its best: a broad community decision based on a process of deep learning and deliberation.

​

Step 4: The Message – From the TAU Campus to Israeli Society

This project is more than an academic experiment. It is a historic opportunity to prove that a different way is possible.

• From Lost Trust to Mutual Trust: We are building a model that replaces blind loyalty with trust—in ourselves and in each other—and swaps confrontational discourse with respectful dialogue.

• From Passive to Active Citizenship: We are giving every individual the tools and the opportunity to take responsibility for our shared destiny.

• From a Politics of Influencers to a Politics of the People: We are proving that when people are given the information, time, and space, they can make thoughtful and worthy decisions.

 

Democracy@TAU is our invitation to all of you—students, researchers, and administrators—to be partners in this formative experience. Let's embark on this journey together, let's relearn how to listen, and let's prove, first and foremost to ourselves, that hope is in our hands.

Join us.
Your voice matters. Let's show everyone that "We Can."