Shannon Barbour
Reporter

For the first time, Baylor students will be given the opportunity to study at Tel Aviv University starting this summer. A public university, Tel Aviv is Israel’s largest university, and has over 30,000 students.

Despite the media attention that the area receives on a daily basis, Robert Leis, exchange program and study abroad adviser, said students and parents should not be deterred because of safety concerns.

“Israel is probably one of the safest places in the Middle East you can go,” Leis said.

Study abroad programs in regions of concern such as Russia and, most recently, France, due to terrorist attacks, remain active and safe for students and professors.

“Baylor will generally take the conservative approach. Safety is always the number one concern,” Leis said, noting Baylor’s decision to remove students when America issued a safety warning during the riots in Cairo.

The Center for International Education has arranged for approximately 50 study abroad programs, professors and international students to attend a study abroad fair where students can learn more about the study abroad program in Israel and more.

The fair, held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. during Dr Pepper Hour today in the Barfield Drawing Room of the Bill Daniel Student Center, will allow prospective study abroad students to meet with professors and students who know about the programs and have lived in the regions they are representing.

“The cost is no greater than studying at Baylor. Three-fourths of the time, housing and meal plans are cheaper,” Leis said.

Application deadlines for most spring break, summer and fall sessions are at the beginning of March. Students can go to bearsabroad.baylor.edu for more information.