The UG does not collaborate with Israel on projects related to military research or projects concerning security related research.
The university also has no formal partnerships with institutions in the Palestinian territories. The UG board announced this on Friday. The UG says the statement complements the overview it published earlier in 2022, which is mainly about research partnerships.
The publication on the UG site (read in full here, only access with a UG account) follows days after protests and the occupation of the Roeterseiland campus by students and staff of the University of Amsterdam (UvA). One of their demands was for the UvA to disclose its ties with Israel. Similar requests were also heard in Groningen.
No names
The UG says it cooperates with three Israeli universities as part of exchange programmes. It is also involved in European research projects in which Israeli organisations participate.
No names of the institutions or projects are mentioned. According to a RU spokesperson, this is to avoid endangering individual researchers involved in the projects.
No money from Israel
In addition, the university also says it has no formal partnerships with institutions in Palestinian territories. However, there is cooperation between individual scientists ‘where, for example, publications are published together’.
Regarding the exchanges for students and staff, the UG writes that it receives EU funding for this. ‘There is no money coming from Israel. Our research is paid from other streams. No money goes to Israel for research either,’ says the spokesperson.
Security
The UG board says it sees how the war in Gaza raises a lot of emotions inside and outside the university. And while the university says it understands that students and staff want to speak out against the violence, the UG stresses that demonstrations must be safe for everyone.
‘In recent months, unfortunately, significant damage has been caused to our buildings, which has caused an unsafe feeling for many students and staff. Our university must remain a safe place for all students and staff; including our Jewish students and staff,’ the board writes.