Two of the six glued students. Photo: Guy Ackermans. Six students glued themselves to Forum on Monday during lunch hour. The Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists demand more transparency on WUR’s collaboration with the private sector.
University spokesperson Annet Blanken says the protest came as a complete surprise. ‘We are currently conducting talks with them on this issue, and our next meeting with several representatives of Extinction Rebellion is planned for November.’ Blanken stressed that the voice of students is always heard. ‘Our primary point of contact is the Student Council, which can address these issues with the executive board.’
Dialogue needed
‘A dialogue on collaboration with the private sector was planned for March’, says masters student Geo-Information Kamiel Verhelst, who is involved in the protest (but not glued). ‘That meeting was cancelled due to corona. Since then, no information has been divulged. This shows that this is not a priority for WUR. We disagree.’
It is not the first time XR protests WUR’s ties with the business sector. In September, the opening of the academic year was disrupted. ‘Following that incident, a discussion took place with university spokesperson Annet Blanken and Simone Ritzer of Wageningen Dialogues’, Verhelst says. ‘There, they expressed the intention to rekindle the dialogue with RUW. We want that dialogue to take place.’
What does XR want?
De protest group has a list of demands. Verhelst: ‘We want a document that provides clarity on the ethical guidelines of the university concerning collaboration with the private sector. Moreover, we demand more democracy in decision making with respect to collaborations with the business sector. Thirdly, we want the university to reflect in the impact the current partnerships may have on the quality of research and research agenda.’
‘We don’t aim to disrupt things at the university’, Verhelst says. ‘This is our last resort. We have spent one and a half years addressing these issues. So far, hardly anything has changed.’ The students dislodged themselves at 21.30 hrs and left Forum at 23.00 hrs.
