Space for academic debate: security at universities
- Date
- Wednesday 20 November 2024
- Time
- Location
- Kamerlingh Onnes-gebouw
- Room
- A.0.51
How should the Netherlands and the broader academic community respond to international conflicts?
The ‘Space for academic debate’ (‘Ruimte voor academisch debat’) lecture series was launched on 14 June 2024 at Leiden Law School. The series is designed to offer space for Leiden Law School’s students and employees to discuss the many issues and perspectives related to the situation in Gaza and the broader problems concerning Israel/Palestine. How other countries – including the Netherlands – respond is the subject of ongoing discussion. The role of the academic community is another important topic of conversation. However, these issues can be expanded beyond the situation in the Middle East. It is extremely important to create space for academic debate on these difficult and often sensitive issues, and that we, as legal scholars, exchange views on them using our extensive in-house academic and legal knowledge. With this in mind, the first session was organised to provide space and opportunity for these difficult discussions.
Third session: 20 November
After the first lecture, it became clear that there is a need to continue the discussion on the role of universities in societal issues, both specifically in relation to the Israel/Palestine situation and more generally. Follow-up sessions have therefore been scheduled.
Thematic session, 20 November 2024: security at universities
The university advocates an open exchange of ideas and knowledge, and has a public duty to contribute to social debate by sharing academic knowledge. However, the open nature of our university is under pressure. Reports of security guards in civilian clothes, smart cameras, the LU card requirement to access buildings, the requirement to share data to attend certain meetings and even reports of ‘student spies’ on campus… this is causing unrest and hindering knowledge sharing with the outside world.
The question of how this affects the university’s open nature, public duty, academic freedom and sense of security requires more attention in the form of informed, academic debate. The legal perspective is our starting point here.
During this discussion, experts on privacy law (Professor Egbert Dommering, UvA), criminal law (Professor Jeroen ten Voorde) and law and society (Professor Maartje van der Woude) will address questions such as: What are the legal frameworks for security measures at the university? How do the various measures relate to staff and student freedoms and privacy, as well as the university’s open nature and public duty? How can these developments be viewed within a broader risk and security-based mindset in society?