Center District, Israel
I am a senior institutional leader with more than 30 years of experience building research, academic, and international partnership ecosystems across the United States, Europe, and Israel. My work sits at the intersection of research strategy, global engagement, academic governance, philanthropy, and public policy — the domains increasingly shaping the future of universities, research institutes, and mission-driven organizations. Throughout my career I have built and led institutional structures that strengthen research capacity, expand international collaboration, and align mission with operational execution. I have: • Built national research infrastructure and data systems for Israel’s academic sector • Established and led multiple institutional units in research support, global engagement, and academic governance • Managed and modernized a €200M+ research endowment supporting international scientific collaboration • Developed global partnerships spanning universities, foundations, governments, and industry • Led complex academic governance processes including accreditation, promotion & tenure, and institutional restructuring My work today focuses on helping institutions respond to major structural shifts facing higher education and research ecosystems: • Global competition for talent and research funding • Diversification of funding beyond government sources • AI-driven transformation of research administration and academic work • Expansion of international academic partnerships and science diplomacy • Strengthening mission-driven institutional leadership Through InnoBridge Academic Advisory, I support universities, research institutes, foundations, and innovation organizations with: • Research strategy and funding diversification • International partnerships and science diplomacy • Institutional development and governance • AI readiness in research administration • Strategic program and proposal development I am particularly interested in leadership roles — permanent or advisory — that strengthen research ecosystems, international collaboration, Jewish and Israeli institutional life, and mission-driven organizations operating at the intersection of academia, policy, and civil society.
InnoBridge Academic Advisory Connecting Ideas, Transforming Institutions Co-founded a strategic advisory firm dedicated to bridging academia, industry, government, and the public sector to advance innovation, research excellence, and international collaboration. InnoBridge partners with universities, research institutions, foundations, and companies to secure European Commission and bilateral funding, build cross-sector alliances, and design sustainable innovation ecosystems that drive long-term impact. Lead strategic development, client relations, and institutional partnerships across Europe and Israel. Advise universities, foundations, and government bodies on research governance, technology transfer, and institutional sustainability. Shape innovation policy and higher education strategy to align with global research and funding priorities. Design and deliver executive training programs on leadership, proposal development, and international collaboration. Build high-impact partnerships with leading institutions to translate knowledge into innovation. Study antisemitism in academic environments and develop actionable frameworks to counter it within higher education and research communities. Program evaluation and proposal review.
I am an official evaluator for both the Ethics Committee of Horizon 2020 and a scientific proposal evaluator in the social science tracks of Horizon 2020.
I initiated and managed a multi-partner multi-country three-year project on enhancing teaching excellence at Israeli institutions of higher education. #teachex
I initiated and managed a multi-partner multi-country three-year project on social entrepreneurship at universities in Israel and India
Advises the Trustee and Vice Chancellor on institutional strategy, research development, and internationalization. Focus areas include research positioning, international partnerships, governance-level decision-making, and institutional readiness for global academic collaboration. • Serve as senior external advisor to the University’s Trustee and Vice Chancellor on institutional strategy, research development, and internationalization. • Advises on multi-year academic and research strategy, including positioning of health sciences, professional education, and applied research. • Provides strategic guidance on building international partnerships, faculty collaboration frameworks, and research credibility with European and global partners. • Supports governance-level decision-making on organizational structures, research support mechanisms, and international engagement models. • Contributes to institutional diagnostics, strategic planning processes, and leadership deliberations during a period of organizational growth and transition.
Directing a binational foundation for the support of collaborative research in SSH and STEM fields of inquury.
www.studyabroad.idc.ac.il Working together with the President and Provost, Dr Zimmerman established and directed (for eight years) the Academic Affairs, International Engagement and Research Support Offices at the Interdisciplinary Centre (IDC), Herzliya. Recruited in 2006, Dr. Zimmerman now provides leadership and service to faculty, staff, and students, assisting in implementing policy and decisions of the IDC academic and governing committees relating to research and global engagement. His wide portfolio includes responsibility for all competitive research and program grants and the protection of the institutional intellectual property; developing global partnerships and managing all institutional internationalization agreements, including student exchange, summer and study abroad programs; managing the development of double degree MA-level programs; and the development of joint doctoral programs.
First and largest private college in Israel.