By emphasizing the argument of "defense," Belgian universities are seeking to forge closer ties with the military industry. These new collaborations with arms manufacturers fundamentally undermine the social mission of universities and are particularly problematic from a moral standpoint.
The University of Liège recently signed a one-million-euro partnership with Thales, an arms giant implicated and indicted in numerous cases of corruption and illegal arms sales. This partnership will develop missile propulsion and targeting systems with the same company that continues to supply spare parts for Israeli army drones, notably those used in the genocide in Gaza and to track refugees at Europe's borders. While students occupied a building on campus to protest this partnership and draw attention to the breach of internal ethical procedures, 650 researchers at the University of Liège received an email asking them to list their work that might be of interest to the defense establishment.
Similarly, at the University of Antwerp, a survey on "defense-related research" was circulated last May in the internal newsletter of specifically targeted departments. The majority of the survey poses false dilemmas and rests on a tacit assumption that military research is acceptable. These questionnaires are part of a national strategy aimed at forcing universities to adapt to the new funding model.
A moral low point for our universities
After years of student protests against the continued influence of fossil fuel companies on universities, and academic complicity in apartheid and the genocide in Palestine, these collaborations with industry and the armed forces mark a new moral low for our universities. The hypocrisy is painful: while institutions solemnly refer to human rights, sustainability, and peace in their official communications, they quietly hasten to collaborate with the defense industry.
These universities are not alone. The Universities of Ghent, Antwerp, and Hasselt are adding "wartime healthcare" to their medical programs, not from a public health perspective, but to train doctors for military missions. At Howest, the University of Applied Sciences of West Flanders, a "Cyber Defence Factory" is being established to train students in cyberwarfare in collaboration with the Belgian Ministry of Defence. Researchers from the VUB (Free University of Brussels) are also collaborating with the US Military Academy on military strategy issues. In addition to the example of the University of Liège mentioned above, students at UCLouvain are denouncing the presence of Safran (a Liège-based company involved in manufacturing military parts used in Gaza) at an event intended for job and internship searches.
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UAWorkers4Palestine
Belgian universities seeking an active role in the war
To understand how universities are seeking to become more involved in the arms industry and militarized violence, one does not need to look far.
UA Workers 4 Palestine