Dear Students/Colleagues,
Following on from my last update on 14th May 2024, I wanted to let you know about the MU initiatives that we’ve been working on over summer as part of our Excellence in Exile work.
In addition to the discussion forums and events that our university community has organised, we have been working as a designated University of Sanctuary to promote a culture of welcome for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants including:
- This year we have doubled the number of MU University of Sanctuary Scholarships and will be supporting 20 students from a variety of countries (e.g. Palestine, Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Bangladesh, Nigeria).
- We are currently hosting a refugee staff member from Afghanistan on our MU Scholars at Risk (SAR) Fellowship, and we are exploring further initiatives to extend our supports to remote options of support for stranded endangered scholars unable to flee their home country.
- We are establishing a Taskforce to build on the work to date and to support the University in identifying further concrete ways and best practice in responding to global crises in a way that values both academic freedom and freedom of expression and creates an inclusive, respectful community where civil scholarly discourse on divisive issues is possible.
- We are working with external organisations who create additional education pathways for refugees to be resettled through community sponsorship programmes in Ireland. This includes EU Passworld (coordinated by UNHCR Ireland and Nasc, and funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF)), and We Are Not Numbers (a youth-led Palestinian nonprofit project in the Gaza Strip).
- If you’d like to volunteer your time with us, please contact [email protected] as we’d like to set up a MU Community Sponsorship Group based on the Nasc Community Sponsorship Model to welcome refugees into our community and have a ready-made network of contacts to give them a sense of belonging.
- MU hosts SAR Europe, the European office of the Global Scholars at Risk (SAR) Network and supports the SAR Call to Action in response to the crisis, one that focuses on:
- protecting higher education communities from attack;
- supporting scholars and students from the region who are at-risk;
- protecting and promoting academic freedom and institutional autonomy;
- and combating violence, intimidation, hate speech, and discrimination, including antisemitism and anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate, on and off campus.
Informed by the International Court of Justice’s finding of 24 May that ‘Israel must immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part’, the University has reviewed its relationships with Israeli organisations. Following this review the university can confirm that:
- Maynooth University does not hold any investments in the arms manufacturing or distribution companies.
- Maynooth University has no investments in any company headquartered in Israel.
- Maynooth University does not have any institutional partnerships with any university in Israel.
- Maynooth University does not have any funded research projects with Israeli universities.
We reiterate the call for a humanitarian ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the full and unimpeded flow of aid into Gaza to allow desperately needed food, fuel, and medical aid to be urgently delivered to save lives. We are also concerned about other areas around the world where a humanitarian crisis is present. We stand in solidarity with those who cherish democracy and peace and our thoughts are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones and the millions who have been displaced from their homes and are in need of urgent food and medical care.
Student and Staff Activism
MU is committed to freedom of expression and the right to hold a range of views, and the promotion and protection of the right to protest. This applies to our students, academics and administrative, technical and professional staff. We acknowledge that protest may cause some disruption. The health and safety of everyone is our first priority. In this regard, we therefore remind all students and staff that:
- you must have your student/staff card with you at all times while on campus in order to assist us in seeking to keep everyone safe, as indicated on the back of your card;
- we are engaged in promoting social justice and human rights through our teaching and research and we accept there are many different views on global conflicts and the appropriate way to express opinions. Correspondence received from students and staff during last academic year has indicated that different views need to be respected, and as such, the University is firmly committed to protecting the right to freedom of thought and expression for students and staff within a framework of dignity and respect for the rights of other persons.
- we are counting on everyone to help ensure a safe and welcoming campus environment for all our students and staff, in the absence of intimidation, threats, violence or harassment on the grounds of belief, race, gender, identity, political or social group.
Wellbeing support for students and staff
We know that many within our university community are finding this to be an incredibly difficult and distressing time. We are conscious that some of you may have been personally affected by these tragic events, or may have relatives, friends or colleagues who have been affected by these or similar tragedies around the world. Our
MU Support Links 2024/25
are available for all our community however they may be affected:
- Wellbeing support for students: Please contact the University’s Student Services, including the Student Health Centre at 01 708 3878 and Counselling Service at 01 708 3554. International students may also reach out to the International Office to connect with other students from their region.
- Wellbeing support for staff: The University’s Employee Assistance Programme provides a free confidential counselling service, designed to assist employees in dealing with any issue that adversely affects their wellbeing, personal or professional life. Please freephone 1800 201 346, or connect via the Maynooth University's Workplace Services Hub.
Le gach dea-ghuí,
Gemma
Dr. Gemma Irvine (She/Her)
Vice-President for Equality & Diversity
Leasuachtarán do Chomhionannas agus Éagsúlacht
Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, Maigh Nuad, Co. Chill Dara, Éire.