David Newman: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Condemns UCU Motion to Boycott Israeli Universities

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BEER-SHEVA – The Board of Governors of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) condemned all attempts to “boycott Israeli academic institutions” today at the Closing Plenary session of its 38th Annual Board Meeting, May 25-28, 2008. The resolution was passed unanimously only hours before the University and College Union (UCU) in the United Kingdom passed a motion that would allow for the reintroduction of a boycott of Israeli academia.

The BGU resolution reads as follows: “The Board of Governors condemns in the strongest terms the attempts to boycott Israeli institutions of higher education which is counter to Statute 5 of the International Council of Science that states: “…freedom of association and expression, access to data and information, and freedom of communication and movement in connection with international scientific activities without discrimination on the basis of such factors as citizenship, religion, creed, political stance, ethnic origin, race, color, language, age or sex.”

The Board members also called upon the University administration and all members of the academic community to actively work against the boycott while promoting the, “open exchange of ideas and knowledge in academia worldwide.”

University President Prof. Rivka Carmi reminded members that indeed BGU has taken a lead role in these efforts with the appointment of Prof. David Newman, a member of the University’s Department of Politics and Government, as the representative of Israeli Universities Committee in the UK to fight the academic boycott. Prof. Newman has spent the past two years in London working to promote Israeli-British academic cooperation, while leading a public campaign against various boycott attempts.

Upon notification of the UCU vote, Prof. Newman said, “The unrepresentative delegates of the British academic union have once again demonstrated their peculiar fixation on Israel as though there were no other pressing problems on the agenda of the scientific community.” He noted that the UCU’s efforts are in effect “making British universities increasingly difficult and unpleasant places for Jewish faculty and students.” He also stressed that these actions are bringing “these great institutes of learning into international disrepute amongst their colleagues throughout the world.”

This, he says, is despite the fact that a number of British and Israeli universities are increasing their scientific collaboration in response to this attempt to deny basic principles of academic freedom.

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Created in 1969 with the mandate to bring development to the region, BGU is internationally-recognized for its unique pioneering spirit that combines outstanding academics and research with a commitment to the community. With more than 17,000 students, five Faculties and a number of internationally-acclaimed research institutes, the University has become a world leader in interdisciplinary research in cutting-edge fields that range from desert studies to nano- and biotechnology, Hebrew literature to international medicine.

Prof. David Newman is available for comment and may be reached at newman@bgu.ac.il or 0044 7804513489.

David Newman: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Condemns UCU Motion to Boycott Israeli Universities

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