Ghent University severs ties with Israeli universities; calls on EU to expel Israel from academic cooperation treaty
Ghent University (UGent) has said that it is to halt all cooperation and joint projects that it currently has with Israeli research institutes and universities. However, the pro-Palestinian activists that have been occupying a building at the university for over 3 weeks are not satisfied. They are demanding that the university also cease cooperation with Israeli companies.
Under pressure from the pro-Palestinian activists and following fresh advice issued by the university’s Human Rights Committee, UGent has decided that all ongoing cooperation with Israeli universities, colleges and other research institutions will be suspended.
The university’s Human Rights Committee’s describes the ongoing cooperation projects that UGent has with Israeli academic institutions as “problematic”. This means that in its view the institutions in question directly or indirectly violate human rights or have close ties to the Israeli regime and as such are involved in the war in Gaza.
In a statement issued on Thursday night UGent’s Vice-Chancellor Rik Van de Walle said that he is taking the necessary steps to end all remaining cooperation project with Israeli academic institutions. Previously the university already halted three projects. Now a further 15 cooperation projects will be terminated bringing the total to 18. UGent is now also calling on the EU to expel Israel from a treaty on academic cooperation. [Continue reading…]
Ghent University is one of the largest Belgian universities and consistently ranks among the top 100 universities in the world.