- Conference
- 2025 National Higher Education Conference
- Date
- 10 October 2024
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes the incredibly distressing situation in Gaza, other parts of Israel/Palestine and the Middle East. The International Court of Justice and other observers have highlighted a clear risk of genocide of the Palestinian people due to the actions of the Israeli government and armed forces, which have led (at the time of writing) to at least 40,000 deaths, including more than 16,000 children. Conference also notes the increasing risk of violence spreading, with Lebanon in particular facing intense bombardment and (at the time of writing) hundreds of civilian casualties being reported.
Conference reinforces the position of UNISON in calling for an immediate end to hostilities and the release of all hostages and political prisoners, including those held by Hamas and those held by the Israeli state.
Specifically in relation to higher education, conference notes the complete destruction of the system of higher education in Gaza. In April 2024 the UNCHR noted that by this date more than 80% of schools had been destroyed, and noted that “it may be reasonable to ask if there is an intentional effort to comprehensively destroy the Palestinian education system, an action known as ‘scholasticide’.” A specific example of this given by the UNCHR is the intentional demolition of the Israa University by the Israeli military on the 17 January 2024.
In relation to UK Higher Education, conference notes that in August 2022 the Palestine Solidarity Campaign estimated that Universities are responsible for over £420m of investments in what it describes as “companies complicit in Israeli violations of international humanitarian law”.
Conference notes that these events, both those specifically relating to Universities, University staff and students, and those more broadly, have greatly affected staff and students in higher education. Union members, students and activists associated with our Universities have arranged protests, educational events, vigils, public statements and petitions, in line with the global, diverse and empathetic nature of the communities we have on University campuses. Conference particularly notes the brave actions of the students who set up peaceful encampments on campuses from spring 2024 right up until the end of the University semester at countless Universities across the UK.
These encampments and protests more broadly received very different responses from senior University leadership across the sector – while some Vice-Chancellors, Rectors and other senior University leaders expressed clear support for the right of students to protest, and in some cases specifically for protest in support of the people of Gaza, other Universities, regrettably, had recourse to legal action in attempting to shut camps down.
Conference notes the statements from UNISON’s own Higher Education SGE and from UCU expressing support for protestors and calling on University leaders to engage with student demands. Conference does, however, feel that we need to go further in expressing our horror at the ongoing situation in Gaza and the Middle East, and engaging with the impact this has had on Higher Education, students and University staff specifically.
Conference therefore calls on the SGE to:
1)Send a message of support and solidarity to the unions representing University staff in Palestine, Lebanon and any other country impacted by the current situation
2)Publicly reaffirm our support for student groups seeking to protest against genocide, human rights abuses and those seeking to change the policies of their Universities in support of human rights
3)Raise this matter with employer groups such as UCEA and Universities UK, including highlighting where the actions of particular members appear to conflict with the duties and mission of Universities in promoting free speech and standing up for human rights and international humanitarian law
4)Issue branches with guidance on:
a)Successful campaigning for divestment
b)Supporting and encouraging members to participate in protests, particularly in the face of hostile steps from employers