Prof. Michael Sofer is Prof. Emeritus and an economic geographer in Bar-Ilan University’s Department of Geography and Environment.
Originally from Tel Aviv, Israel, Prof. Sofer obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and his PhD from Melbourne University in Australia. He is involved in the activities of the International Geographical Union (IGU) and is the chairman of the Israel National Committee to the IGU. He is also a past president of The Israeli Geographical Association.
Prof. Sofer’s research fields focus on issues of local and regional development with a specific interest in the economic transformation of the rural space in developed and developing countries, economic and social changes in the rural-urban fringe, and environmental issues related to industrial activities in residential areas. His experience evolved through his work in Fiji, India, Tanzania, Romania, and Israel.
Prof. Michael Sofer Shares his Thoughts about Erasmus+
I was privileged to have participated in the Erasmus+ program three times in one year – in the summer, autumn, and winter of 2019 – all three at Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic.
Erasmus+ is a wonderful, people-friendly, bilateral collaboration and both sides enjoy mutual benefits. I was involved in discussing and advancing several issues concerning a research project with a group of researchers from Mendel University headed by Prof. Milada Šťastná. The research, known as SPOT and funded by H2020, began on 1 January 2020 and will last for three years. It focuses on cultural tourism and its role in local and regional development and is based on the collaboration between representatives from 15 countries, including my university, Bar-Ilan.
The discussion contributed to my better understanding of the research path, and I believe that I was able to contribute to the enhancement of some central issues that were discussed during the meeting.
Prof. Michael Sofer (left) receiving his award for long-term co-operation in research and education from Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic
The program had a great impact on our research activities and on the department. I applied the knowledge and experience acquired during my mobility in my collaborative research proposal mentioned above, and our team from Bar-Ilan University received a grant from the H2020 program. A number of members from the team will follow my visit in the upcoming months and will maintain the discussion on our joint research proposal with members of the Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology at Mendel University. The interaction with the local group is highly respected at Bar-Ilan.
One of the highlights of my exchange was when I was invited to participate in the Ceremonial Session of the Academic Council of the Faculty of AgriSciences as part of the 100th-anniversary celebration of the founding of Mendel University in September 2019. During this session, I accepted an award for long-term co-operation in research and education.
There is no doubt in my mind that it’s good to have such exchange programs that allow you to exchange ideas and constantly absorb new ideas and have new experiences. Each new experience contributes to your knowledge and helps to develop your skillset, and I hope to see more mobility exchanges taking place in the future.
