The Executive Board of Radboud University has commissioned the Partnerships Advisory Committee to assess the University's partnerships, with a special focus on international partner institutions in conflict zones. The committee has been tasked with evaluating whether some of the University's partnerships should be terminated because they are (or will be) fundamentally in conflict with the University's mission and core values. An assessment framework for evaluating partnerships has recently been developed, and will be further elaborated .
The committee is chaired by Lutgarde Buydens, former Dean of the Faculty of Science and former professor of Analytical Chemistry. The other committee members are Paul Bovend'Eert (former Professor of Constitutional Law and former Dean of the Faculty of Law), Jos Kole (Assistant Professor of Professional Ethics at IQ Health, Radboud university medical center) and Cees Leijenhorst (Director of Education of the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies and Associate Professor of Philosophy).
Assessment in three areas
The assessment focuses on three areas:
- Does collaboration with the partner institution compromise the quality or integrity of the education and research of Radboud University and Radboud university medical center?
- Is the partner institution's behaviour towards their own staff and/or students fundamentally at odds with Radboud University's core values?
- And finally, is Radboud University demonstrably contributing to serious human rights violations by collaborating with this partner?
In considering these three issues, the committee makes maximum use of external and authoritative sources that meet with broad agreement, and applicable policies, such as the Dutch and European Codes of Conduct for Academic Integrity. The advisory committee may seek expert advice from within and outside the university as they deem necessary.
Based on these frameworks, the committee will first consider Radboud University's partnerships at institution level (an entire university or university of applied sciences). They will then assess partnerships at institute level and externally funded partnerships at faculty level. In principle, the assessment does not cover cooperation between individual academics. That consideration falls to the staff members themselves, who can use the same assessment framework, supplemented where necessary by expertise from the University.
Participation process
Participation meetings are also organised with students, researchers and support staff from the various organisational units of Radboud University and with diverse perspectives on the issues. The goal of the participation process is to work together to map the existing dilemmas, using concrete examples as a basis to jointly test and enrich the assessment framework. This helps the advisory committee to make good quality assessments by means of a framework that can effectively be used in practice.
Rector Magnificus José Sanders: “Science develops through collaboration, also, and especially, at international level. The academic freedom to engage in cooperation is one of our essential principles. At the same time, Radboud University wants to act in line with its mission and core values at all times. That is why the Executive Board has established this advisory committee to assess our partnerships and advise the Executive Board and Deans in this regard. In the process, the committee will consult our university community and experts. Through this process, we can learn from and with each other, build mutual understanding and arrive at a value-based and sustainable evaluation policy. In this way, we as Radboud University fulfil the responsibility that comes with our academic freedom.”
Activities in the start-up phase
The committee has initially been established for the duration of the current academic year. In the initial phase, the committee will develop a concrete working method, while, parallel to this, the committee will also design the participation process, together with representatives from the various groups within the University. This start-up group will also establish how the larger group of staff and students can participate.
Once the advisory committee starts to actually assess partnerships, priority will be given to an initial assessment of serious and systematic violations of the mission and related academic core values of Radboud University. Specifically for this purpose, the committee will develop additional guidelines detailing the types of conduct that will lead to the decision to not engage in or to terminate a partnership with a partner institution.
Radboud University has long been evaluating its research, teaching and business operations in terms of research ethics and knowledge security (sensitive technologies/dual use). Where possible and logical, these matters will continue to be primarily addressed by the relevant committees.
More information about the Partnerships Advisory Committee and the documents mentioned above can be found at: https://www.ru.nl/en/partnerships-advisory-committee