Assessment framework for external collaborations sent to the representative advisory bodies

20 December 2024

The renewed, extended assessment framework with which the UvA can assess its external collaborations is in its concluding stage. The framework is intended to prevent education and research from contributing to violations of human rights, the misuse of knowledge for unwanted military purposes or serious damage to the environment. Until now, the assessment framework only related to collaboration with the fossil fuel industry and to knowledge security.

The draft review framework now on the table is the result of a process that was started in May this year and may be finalised in January after advice from the representative advisory bodies. The substantive responses from the University Committee on Education (UCO), University Committee on Research (UOC) and the Senate, among others, have now been added to the draft. That package has been sent to the central representative advisory bodies for advice. All responses and opinions will be processed in January, after which the review framework can be adopted by the Executive Board.

From then on, all new collaborations can be tested against the new framework. In addition, existing collaborations that may be controversial will be reassessed.

The updated review framework includes a comprehensive questionnaire, taking into account the subject of the research or study programme, the application, the partner, and the geopolitical situation. Collaborations assessed as potentially controversial based on this questionnaire have to be submitted to the Advisory Committee for Collaboration with Third Parties.

This is how this draft review framework comes into being:

In May, an ad hoc working group consisting of UvA experts was put to work to gather views and input from across the UvA. After round-table discussions and a town hall meeting, this group made eleven recommendations before the summer.
In the meantime, no new collaborations were entered into with parties in countries and areas afflicted by war and conflict where serious human rights violations could take place.
To turn the working group's recommendations into a new review framework, the UvA Advisory Committee for Collaboration with Third Parties took over the work of the ad hoc working group.
The advisory committee was temporarily expanded to include four additional experts from the UvA in the fields of human rights, genocide studies, conflict studies, and international educational collaborations.
At the same time, the three individual cases were reviewed. A decision on these cases will be taken soon.
The draft proposal for the framework was discussed with the University Research Committee (UOC), University Education Committee (UCO), University Valorisation Committee, and the Senate. The responses have been added to this draft.
The Central Works Council (COR) and the Central Student Council (CSR) have the right to be consulted.
After incorporating the advice of the representative advisory bodies, the Executive Board will take a final decision on the framework. Existing collaborations that may be controversial are also subject to review.

More information:

More information on the framework can be found here.
The review framework that was sent to the representative advisory bodies can be viewed here.
The responses from the University Research Committee (UOC), University Education Committee (UCO), University Valorisation Committee and Senate can be read here (in Dutch).
More information on the Advisory Committee for Collaboration with Third Parties can be found here.
An interview with the chairman of the Advisory Committee for Collaboration with Third Parties about the work on the comprehensive framework can be read back here.
You can find more information here about the ad hoc working group that gathered input from the UvA for the comprehensive framework, to enable the advisory committee to start working on the comprehensive framework.
You can read the full report containing the findings of the ad hoc working group, which was handed over to the Advisory Committee for Collaboration with Third Parties in the summer here.

Assessment framework for external collaborations sent to the representative advisory bodies

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