The Advisory Committee on Collaborations was asked by the Executive Board to prepare an advisory report on Tilburg University’s partnerships with universities in Israel in the context of the Gaza conflict. Based on these findings, the Advisory Committee concludes that Tilburg University, as a moral actor, cannot remain passive and must act. The Committee translates this moral judgment into the following perspective for action: the Advisory Committee advises Tilburg University to suspend, within the legal and administrative frameworks, the collaborative activities under investigation.
The Advisory Committee on Collaborations (Advisory Committee) was asked by the Executive Board (EB) to prepare an advisory report on Tilburg University’s partnerships with universities in Israel in the context of the Gaza conflict. The advice now published is based on the human rights assessment framework. This first version of the assessment framework is now online.
The past year has seen a dramatic escalation in the historically rooted, complex Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The escalation of recent months and the accompanying suffering affects many, including within the Tilburg academic community. As is the case at other universities in the Netherlands and worldwide, discussions and protests are taking place that include calls for a boycott of Israeli universities.
Against this background, the EB asked the Committee to advise how Tilburg University should relate to collaborative partners in this context. This advice aims to answer the following question:
Considering its academic and institutional values, what are the (moral) responsibilities of our university and what options for action follow from this in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict?
This advice looks at seven research and education collaborations with academic partners in Israel. These collaborations were submitted to the Committee by the Executive Board.
After investigation, the Advisory Committee on Collaborations establishes, based on the information available to it to date[1], that:
- the International Court of Justice and other leading UN entities state that there is plausible evidence of gross and systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Gaza conflict; (1)
- the Israeli defense is directly involved in these violations; (2)
- there is a high degree of interconnectedness between Tilburg University’s partner universities under investigation and the Israeli defense; (3)
- the partner universities do not take a sufficiently critical stance towards the aforementioned violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. (4)
Based on these findings, the Advisory Committee concludes that Tilburg University, as a moral actor, cannot remain passive and must act. The Committee translates this moral judgment into the following perspective for action: the Advisory Committee advises Tilburg University to suspend, within the legal and administrative frameworks, the collaborative activities under investigation. In the event of changing circumstances at the level of the partner, activity, or context, it is always possible to reassess collaborations.
- Recommendation 1: Exchange
Do not send students and staff from Tilburg University to the Israeli partner universities but maintain the possibility of receiving students and staff from the Israeli partners.
- Recommendation 2: Research
Suspend, within the legal and administrative frameworks, the research collaborations with academic partners in Israel.
- Recommendation 3: Future partnerships
Apply the precautionary principle and ensure that new research, education, and business collaborations with partners and activities that may contribute to systematic and gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms are submitted to the Advisory Committee.
- Recommendation 4: Awareness
Create awareness among Tilburg University staff regarding sensitive collaborations. Ensure that researchers reflect on with whom research is conducted prior to entering into partnerships. Ensure proper embedding of the normative assessment framework and associated governancewithin Tilburg University.
[1] The situation in the Middle East is developing rapidly. This advice was adopted on December, 2nd, 2024 based on information available at the time.
This advisory report was published by the independent Advisory Committee on Collaborations. Read the initial response from the Executive Board.