Utrecht University will not enter into any new collaborations with Israeli organizations until further notice

The Executive Board and Deans of Utrecht University have decided to suspend all new collaborations with Israeli organizations until a committee, which is yet to be formed, can provide guidance on potential partners. This decision applies to all new research and educational collaborations.

‘We understand that our students and colleagues are horrified by the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, and that they are deeply concerned,’ said Anton Pijpers, President of the Executive Board of Utrecht University. ‘As the Executive Board and Deans of Utrecht University, we share that horror and concern. The recent statements and actions of the Israeli government regarding the occupation of large parts of Gaza, the accompanying large-scale displacement of residents and the ongoing blockades of food and aid, have prompted us to tighten our policy on collaboration. Authoritative scientific research speaks of genocidal violence; there is no longer any regard for the desire of people in the region to live in peace, with respect for their dignity and rights.’

Tightening of current policy

Following recent developments in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht will immediately suspend all new collaboration agreements with Israeli organizations in the fields of research and education. This suspension will remain in place until a committee, yet to be established, can offer guidance based on an ethical framework for collaborating with organizations in countries involved in armed conflict, human rights violations, or breaches of international law."

Until this framework is in place and potential partners have been assessed, Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht will not enter into any new agreements with Israeli organizations. One-on-one contacts between researchers that are not based on a contract, for example to work together on scientific articles, will remain possible. These individual contacts between academics are important in the context of the academic exchange of knowledge and insights, and are often a foundation for a form of silent diplomacy.

The ongoing, temporary research collaborations between Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht with Israeli organizations will not be discontinued, as the content of these projects has been previously evaluated. The exception to this is one project in which the Israeli government (Ministry of Health) is one of the partners. Because the Israeli government is directly involved in this project, Utrecht University intends to withdraw from it, and is investigating whether this is possible. 

The previous evaluation of research collaborations looked at the nature and content of a research project, the specific research unit with which the collaboration took place, and the potential risks of a research project in terms of dual use and a deterioration of the human rights situation. The tightening of the policy will make the ethical assessment more thorough and comprehensive. In the future, not only the nature of the collaboration project and the research unit involved will be assessed, but also the intended institution to which a unit belongs. 

The student exchange agreement with Haifa University has been terminated. The decision to suspend outgoing exchanges was already taken by the Executive Board of Utrecht University at the end of April. The Executive Board has now tightened this measure by terminating the agreement because it lacks content-specific boundaries. 

Extra caution

The Executive Board and Deans of Utrecht University realize that organizations funded by governments in countries where human rights are under pressure cannot be held responsible for government policy. However, in such situations, Utrecht University considers it appropriate to take extra care when selecting potential partners. This is to prevent research collaborations from contributing to a deterioration of the human rights situation and to ensure that fellow researchers have sufficient academic freedom to carry out their work. The committee has therefore been tasked with developing a country-neutral framework.

Anton Pijpers: ‘We understand that this decision will have a profound impact on some colleagues and students – for example, because they feel connected to the region or are concerned about how this will affect them or their research. We are committed to supporting students and staff who are directly or indirectly affected by these events. Our community remains a place where there is room for different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds – especially in these difficult times. We are jointly responsible for creating an environment in which differences of opinion are possible without leading to exclusion or accusations.’