Leiden University’s Committee on External Collaborations – Human Rights and Conflict Zones advises the Executive Board to suspend student exchange programmes with Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University until further notice.

The committee also advises against engaging for the time being in new student exchange programmes with academic institutions in Israel that have similarly close ties to the Israeli military: that is, until the Executive Board decides to submit new exchange programmes to the committee.

The committee has reached this conclusion, having observed that both universities, to the extent that they are entangled with the Israeli military, may be implicated in or contribute to human rights violations. It also concludes that the involvement in the conflict is increasingly restricting academic freedom at these universities, with potentially negative effects for Leiden University and its students.

The Committee emphasises that the suspension of these student exchange programmes addresses the universities as institutions; it does not have a bearing on the admission of individual students nor on academic contacts between individual staff members. Individual students and staff from Israel who wish to come to Leiden University are and remain welcome.

Other aspects of cooperation with partners in Israel, such as in the field of research, are to be dealt with in a later advisory report by the committee. Below, we explain the committee’s method, the context of the assignment and the nature of the committee’s advice. 

Initial response from the Executive Board

The Executive Board has received the advice and will reach a decision on this as soon as possible after the summer break, following consultation with the deans and the University Council.

‘We pay tribute to the committee and the team supporting it for preparing this careful and comprehensive advice in such a short timeframe,’ said Rector Hester Bijl. ‘It’s impressive how a committee of staff with different backgrounds and perspectives has arrived at unanimous advice, using a previously developed method. These are important steps in our learning approach. At the same time, we understand that this initial advice is not the result some in our organisation would have hoped for, whereas others think the whole process is taking too long. We are going to reflect carefully on the advice and the potential implications.

‘We believe it is important we continue engaging with our academic community on topics that evoke strong emotions and division. This disastrous war and the ongoing conflict are claiming countless human lives. Their impact extends beyond those directly involved, affecting students and staff within our university as well. This advice from the committee will undoubtedly stir up emotions once again.

‘We understand the strong need for clarity. We will make a decision regarding the student exchange programmes and the committee’s advice as soon as possible, taking the utmost care and consideration.’

The committee’s task

The Committee on External Collaborations – Human Rights and Conflict Zones was established by the Executive Board on 27 May to investigate whether Leiden University works with organisations, institutions or consortia that directly or indirectly violate human rights, support war or violate other provisions of international law. The committee will advise the Executive Board on the outcomes of this investigation, and the Executive Board will reach a decision on collaborations. The committee comprises the following members: Prof. J.P. van der Leun (chair), Prof. D.P. Engberts, Prof. D.M. Mokrosinska and (until 1 September 2025) Prof. R.A. Lawson. Prof. P. Sijpesteijn was added to the committee specifically for this case as an expert on the region.

Background and context of the advice

The Executive Board asked the committee to advise on its collaborations following significant concerns about the human rights situation and the serious humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the Middle East within the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Since October 2023, this deep-rooted and extremely complex conflict has sparked intense debate, strong emotions and growing tensions within our academic community. Students, staff and, increasingly, members of the broader public have urged universities to reconsider their collaborations with Israeli academic institutions.

The two institutional exchange programmes on which the committee has advised were placed on hold by the university last year. Just a few students were involved in these exchanges.

Committee’s method

At the Executive Board’s request, the committee began by assessing the student exchange programmes with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University. The committee used the method developed at the request of the Executive Board by the temporary Committee on Ethical Aspects of Collaborations.

The committee assessed international collaborations on three levels:  (1) context (country/region), (2) partner (institution/university/organisation), and (3) activity (education/research/exchange/conference). The committee based its assessment on internationally recognised sources and spoke to experts within the university. It then engaged in a process of weighing the pros and cons of cooperation with the partner.

The committee’s advice

In its advice, the committee notes that, ‘…in the context of a long-lasting and complex conflict where various parties have over the years used force, Israel is currently held responsible for serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.’ The committee also observes that ‘… Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University, to the extent that they are entangled with the Israeli military, may be implicated in or contributing to human rights violations.’

The committee concludes, ‘To continue the current institutional framework for student exchanges with these universities would place Leiden University in a morally precarious position and would challenge its core values, especially its responsibility to cultivate an open, inclusive community and to uphold academic freedom.’

The fact that the specific student exchange programmes are of a very modest scale, and that they may not be directly linked to the violations, does not diminish the committee’s ethical concerns, it concludes.

University community involved

The committee included different perspectives in its work. ‘The large number of responses the committee has received from Leiden University students and staff as well as the responses from the University Council reflect the diversity of opinions and interpretations on this issue within the university’s academic community,’ it remarks. The committee members also attended dialogues taking place within the university and spoke to experts.

Executive Board’s next steps

Before the Executive Board reaches a definitive decision on whether to suspend the student exchange programmes with Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, it will take the following steps:

Discuss the advice with the University Council

Discuss the advice with the Management Board, the meeting between the Executive Board and the deans of the faculties

Discuss the advice with the Board of Governors

Contact the rectors of Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 

The Executive Board will also continue its dialogue with the community and alumni of Leiden University.


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