It is with great concern that we follow the terrible situation in Gaza and Israel. We sympathise with anyone affected by it. Where our staff and students need support, we provide it within our means.
We do so not only now, but in any situation. Because of our community's diverse international composition, (armed) conflicts or humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world may come very close to home. These situations sometimes receive less attention but are no less poignant because of that.
We understand the call from our community for attention. The peace flag hangs prominently at the entrance to our campus to underline our commitment to peace and safety. However, we cannot always contribute directly to resolving often complex conflicts.
Influence through science diplomacy
However, it is possible and important to exert indirect influence from within our community. We do this by staying in touch with critical scientists elsewhere in war and crisis situations: science diplomacy. This prevents scientists in countries involved in conflict situations from becoming isolated. Moreover, critical voices and insights from those countries find their way worldwide.
On the one hand, sanctions on countries, institutions, or specific technologies determine which collaborations can and cannot take place. However, we must also explicitly and ethically weigh how we want to use our influence as a university and which institutional collaborations are desirable. We navigate the tension between academic freedom for scientists on the one hand and social responsibility as a university on the other. In the coming period, we want to ensure that adequate deliberations are always made.
Dialogue within our university
There is always room for dialogue within our community. Some need to express themselves on geopolitical conflict situations and other societal issues. We wholeheartedly facilitate substantive and respectful conversations about these. Protesting is also allowed, but within the house and behavioural rules. However, there is no place for violence, vandalism, or disrupting academic activities.
Recently, various groups have taken the opportunity to express themselves on different societal issues, including the situation in Israel and Gaza. We made arrangements with the organisers regarding the preconditions so that these activities could be held respectfully. That is something we cherish. The university should be a safe place for everyone.
Recently, we had a request from the Enschede Students for Palestine group to undertake some actions to help end the atrocities in Gaza. They immediately received an invitation for a meeting with the Executive Board. We had a first conversation with them, during which we gave them the opportunity to set out what they expected from the university, and we gave our initial reflections on this. In line with what was described above, we indicated how we view ethical issues in international collaborations and how we would like to shape them further in the coming period. A second constructive meeting was held on Wednesday, 5 June.
A safe environment for everyone
Together, we provide a safe environment for our employees and students. It is important that you speak out if you experience (feelings of) insecurity. At https://www.utwente.nl/socialsafety, you can read more about what you can do and who you can contact if you need help. We will be happy to look for ways to address these feelings with you.
Updated: 5 June 2024
