European universities condemn Trump’s executive order

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30 januari 2017 | Trump’s executive order to temporarily prevent people from seven Muslim-majority countries entrance into the US is already affecting academia. The European University Association (EUA) voices its concerns. “This is playing politics with the world knowledge pool and with academics’ and students’ lives.”

As the free flow of people and ideas is paramount in higher education and research, Trump’s actions are met with deep concern by academia throughout the world. EUA Secretary General Leslie Wilson acknowledges that the US president’s security concerns may be justified, but that denying people entrance to the United States is not.

The travel restrictions, while directed at the cited countries, are affecting the movement of students involved in partnerships, academic conferences, research field visits and international study programmes in universities and communities around the world, including those in Europe.

The EUA therefore calls upon US President Trump to recall or reformulate this executive order to avoid any threat to the free flow of people and knowledge and for the new administration to acknowledge the overall importance of global mobility and openness for society as a whole.

In solidarity with the people affected by Trump’s executive order, online petitions have already emerged to protest the plans. An international call for an for an academic boycott of international conferences held in the US was already signed by over 1000 people working in academia throughout the world.