Proposal for new assessment frameworks for UM collaborations to be discussed with the internal community
Maastricht University is introducing new assessment frameworks to evaluate collaborations with partner institutions and other organisations. These frameworks have been developed to ensure that education and research at UM do not, through collaborations, contribute to large-scale human rights violations or hinder the transition to a fossil-free society. An assessment framework for knowledge security has been in place since 2023. The coming period, the Board will discuss the proposal for a human rights assessment and the assessment for the transition to a fossil-free society with the Management Team and participatory bodies. The proposal also outlines the organisational structure, including the establishment of a single contact point for referring inquiries to the UM Sensitive Partnerships Committee: the Sensitive Partnerships Unit (SPU).
The assessment frameworks assist UM staff in establishing well-informed considerations about the potential impacts of collaborations. They also help ensure a proper balance between academic freedom and societal responsibility.
The human rights assessment is applied to institutional strategic collaborations in countries where there are indications of large-scale human rights violations or international crimes. Such collaborations may include university-wide institutional networks, interfaculty partnerships, and commercial agreements. Individual activities, such as joint publications, presentations, and guest lectures, are generally not covered unless the individual activity negatively impacts the human rights situation in the country concerned. Researchers can seek advice on this from the SPU and the Committee.
The fossil industry assessment supports UM researchers in making informed decisions about collaborations. Its aim is to raise awareness and assist researchers in evaluating the potential impact of a collaboration on the transition to a fossil-free and sustainable society. This assessment applies exclusively to research collaborations and serves as a tool to promote transparent and sustainable choices.
To make the process as simple as possible for staff, a user-friendly online 'self-check' will be developed for the three domains (human rights, knowledge security, and 'fossil'). This tool will allow users to independently assess an existing or proposed collaboration for potential concerns and seek advice from the UM Sensitive Partnerships Committee if in doubt.
This committee will be composed of internal experts and will include three subcommittees, each dedicated to one of the assessment domains. In consultation with the deans, the Executive Board will establish the committees and subcommittees for Human Rights and the Fossil Industry at the beginning of 2025. For the Human Rights subcommittee, this process will also involve publishing vacancies for committee members. The Knowledge Security subcommittee is already operational. The subcommittees will provide advice on whether to initiate, continue, or terminate collaborations.
After being reviewed by the Management Team and participatory bodies, the Executive Board will make a decision regarding the new assessment frameworks, the organisation of the SPU, and the committees, as well as determine their staffing. As a pilot, the Executive Board aims to apply the human rights assessment to collaborations in three countries in 2025. One of these will include partnerships with institutions in Israel, in line with the decision made just before the summer.
Once finalised, the relevant documents will be published on a new webpage of the Sensitive Partnerships Unit, providing more information about the assessments and how to submit requests for assessment . In the future, this page will also feature the substantiated decisions regarding collaborations.
The human rights assessment and the fossil industry assessment were developed last year in collaboration with many people from the UM-community:
- Throughout 2024, one university-wide and two faculty-level dialogue sessions were held to shape and refine the framework for the fossil industry assessment. Additionally, ideas and knowledge were exchanged with universities that are engaged in similar developments.
- In June 2024, two dialogue sessions were held with staff to discuss and establish the key principles for a human rights assessment framework. Around thirty staff members from across the organisation participated in person, alongside others who provided written input.
- In September, a session was held where the various components of the draft human rights assessment framework were discussed and developed in detail.
- In November, the structure of the assessment committee and the assessment procedures were discussed and aligned with colleagues involved in knowledge security, human rights, and the fossil industry.
- On 13 November, a Studium Generale debate took place on the university's moral compass and the role of an assessment framework in this context.
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