Belfield Campus Update: A message from the President, 13 May 2024

Posted 13 May, 2024

This is a message to all UCD students and employees.

The University has received a notification of the establishment of an encampment outside O’Reilly Hall on our Belfield campus. This is in the context of the ongoing conflict, suffering and deaths in Gaza and Israel, which I know have caused shock and deep distress across the University community.

The University supports the rights of UCD staff and students to peaceful protest within the law and in compliance with university policies. We note the commitment of the organisers of this encampment “to taking every available safety measure and precaution to ensure the well-being of participants and the entire UCD community. This includes making all participants fully aware of their responsibilities and being cognisant of ongoing exams and other campus activities.”

The safety of students and staff on campus is of paramount importance to us. The Estate Services emergency line 01 716 7999, which is available 24/7, can be used to request assistance or report issues at any time. If you wish, you can request through this pathway to meet the Campus Duty Manager, who can gather information and provide support.

I know that this encampment comes in the middle of exams, at what is already a particularly stressful time for many of you. Supports, as always, are available for students through the student advisers and School and College Offices, and for staff through our Employee Assistance Service.

One of our most fundamental commitments as a University is that all members of our community have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, including freedom from harassment. The University has a highly experienced Dignity and Respect Support Service to support and provide guidance to any member of the University community.

Further details of supports available to all those affected by the current conflict, or indeed any global crisis, can be found here.

Next, I want to address some questions that some of you have asked me about the context for this encampment.

As you will know, those involved in encampments on campuses around the world have focused in particular on the use of university investment portfolios. The Bursar has confirmed to me that UCD has no investments in Israel, so this issue of divestment does not arise for UCD.

As an internationally engaged university, UCD has many formal bilateral partnerships with international institutions, underpinned by memoranda of understanding between the partners. We have no such partnerships with Israeli institutions.

The University participates in EU research projects as a member of a number of multi-partner networks. We currently have eleven active projects that have Israeli partners within these large networks. We fully respect the academic freedom of UCD researchers to continue these research collaborations, most of which are in the areas of health and sustainability.

Finally, UCD strives to support students, staff and wider society through our research and education across a number of disciplines on the causes of conflict and how they may be addressed. With respect to students and academics displaced by conflict, the University holds University of Sanctuary status, currently supports 39 displaced students with Sanctuary scholarships with applications for new scholarships for next academic year currently open, and has supported scholars at risk. I have discussed with some of you how we might do more here in the context of the current conflict.

It remains my hope, as I indicated in an email last week, that even through very difficult times UCD can continue to be a place that supports open and constructive debate in an environment of inclusivity and respect, modelling the behaviour and environment that we wish to see in the wider world.

Le gach dea-ghuí,

Orla

Professor Orla Feely
President