University Minister Anna Maria Bernini did not like the decision of the University of Palermo to interrupt the collaboration agreements with Israel. The decision “is part of university autonomy, I consider it a wrong choice, especially at a time when the political-diplomatic process of peace, of the search for peace, is intensifying”, said Bernini. “The universities […]
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To the Minister of the University Anna Maria Bernini the University of Palermo’s decision to interrupt the collaboration agreements with Israel was not liked. The decision “is part of university autonomy, I consider it a wrong choice, especially at a time when the political-diplomatic process of peace, of the search for peace, is intensifying”, said Bernini. “The universities – he added – do not take sides, universities do not go to war, they are bridge builders, creators of peace, they are great factories of scientific diplomacy. To tell the truth, universities and their students are taking sides all over the world, there is no shortage of those who have made choices similar to that of Palermo, but that’s it. For now, the Italian rectors, while admitting that “Israel has exceeded every acceptable limit”, have for now expressed their desire not to interrupt academic relations.
In particular, the student collectives of the Sicilian university on Monday they announced that all collaboration agreements with Israel have been interrupted. “After months of international mobilization – they write via their Instagram account – we have achieved a historic result”. According to what we learn, no new agreements will be stipulated with Israeli universities. “For us it is a start point. Our criticism of the neoliberal University and the agreements with Leonardo spa, they do not stop today, but are strengthened starting from the results obtained”.
According to the minister, however, “When relationships are interrupted, the university is failing in its founding mission, which is that of inclusiveness. The university is open and inclusive, it never closes its doors.” When asked if he will take measures, Bernini recalled that “University autonomy it allows them to do what they did. I repeat, as far as I’m concerned it’s a wrong choice.”
The Academic Senate of the University of Palermo also decided to suspend Erasmus agreements with Israeli universities for “the lack of essential safety guarantees to which any subjects involved in cooperation partnerships would be exposed in this particular and delicate moment of international crisis”. The Erasmus agreements in question also cover universities in Algeria, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Ukraine, South Africa and Tunisia. Furthermore, the academic senate has decided to launch transparent procedures on research reports “for the development of an ad hoc regulation on dual use, which should be concluded by the summer break”.
