The basis for this decision is the Executive Board's adoption of the advisory committee's assessment that human rights violations by Israel in the Palestinian territories are serious and systematic, and that in some cases, the universities in question contribute to direct and specific human rights violations, and may be involved in violations of academic integrity. The Executive Board is shocked by continuing reports of the increasing scale of human rights violations by Israel.
Advice from the participational bodies
The Executive Board has reached this decision following a positive advice from the university participational bodies (UGV), although the UGV did ask the Executive Board to take further measures than those advised by the committee. The Executive Board is not complying with that request. Prior to reaching this decision, the Executive Board spoke to a large number of stakeholders within and outside Radboud University, including administrators of the two universities concerned. The dialogue with the administrators of Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University did not lead the Executive Board to a different assessment from that of the committee's recommendation. Once the conditions as formulated by the committee are met, collaboration will once again be possible at institutional level. Within that framework, the Executive Board is open to dialogue with the universities concerned.
Important signal
The Executive Board has taken this decision with the support of the Deans. President of the Executive Board, Alexandra van Huffelen: “This decision sends a clear and strong message. At the same time, we also realise that this advice does not go far enough for some, while going too far for others. Given the divergent opinions, there is no decision that would allow us to satisfy all the wishes and demands of the individuals and groups with whom we have spoken. Our thanks go to the work of the committee and to everyone who has contributed.”
Multilateral and individual collaboration
Besides the institution-wide and bilateral partnerships, Radboud University researchers are also involved in multilateral collaborations in the context of consortia.
The Executive Board is not advising that these collaborations be suspended, despite the UGV's advice. The faculties are free to decide for themselves whether they wish to start or continue to work in these partnerships. Nor is the Executive Board advising that individual collaborations be suspended. Such a categorical advice or ban would form too severe an obstacle to academic freedom and would have major consequences for the ability of individual researchers at Radboud University and the universities concerned to conduct their research. It would mean, for example, that Radboud University would have to withdraw from many Horizon research projects, as well as from IPCC, CERN and ESO. For both types of partnerships – multilateral and individual – a more far-reaching recommendation to suspend or continue cooperation is not in line with the recommendation of the advisory committee, which also points to the potentially incalculable financial and legal consequences of suspending or terminating multilateral partnerships in particular.
Other conflict areas
The Executive Board has asked the committee to also focus on institution-wide partnerships with universities located in countries/conflict areas other than in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Furthermore – in line with what the committee itself writes – an addition to the assessment framework is expected in the coming period regarding collaborations at individual level, i.e. collaborations between individual academics. Employees will be able to use this as a guide in reaching their own decisions.
Safety on campus
The Executive Board is extremely affected by the fact that not everyone has always felt safe on our campus in recent weeks. This applies to people from diverse backgrounds, but especially Jewish and/or Israeli staff and students, and staff and students within the pro-Palestine movement.
The Executive Board is calling on the university community to continue to embrace the academic values of openness, mutual respect and critical dialogue. We need to work together to find a way in which critical dialogue is possible, and in which we also respect each other's rights and privacy, precisely at times when we disagree. Events in recent months have shown clearly how essential this is. The Executive Board wants to work with the deans and the UGV to put forward a joint concrete proposal on how to guarantee this.
Staff or students who need help, advice or guidance for any reason whatsoever can contact the support facilities provided by the university for this purpose.