The University of Haifa is proposing to establish the Institute for Social and Economic Research – an independent national policy research institute that will address Israel’s socioeconomic problems. The Herta and Paul Amir Faculty of Social Sciences is proud to be partnering with the Forum for Reducing Gaps in Israeli Society to advance this important research agenda. Working in close collaboration with the Forum and other University research units, the Institute’s research will study the impact of immediate social and economic problems in Israeli society, such as COVID-19, and long-term socioeconomic issues facing Israel in the 21st century. The Institute will serve as a national center of scientific and practical knowledge for analyzing long-term socio-economic and political processes. It will inform policy and decision makers while implementing innovative approaches of multi-sectoral cooperation that are aligned with the advancement of knowledge in the relevant field and the national interest of the State of Israel and its citizens. The Institute’s resources will be allocated to prepare, organize, and respond to urgent needs of governance in times of crisis and emergency, as well as to increase Israel’s national resilience in times of peace.