At the University of Copenhagen, the group Students against Occupation has set up a protest camp since Monday to demand greater transparency and ethical considerations in the university’s investments. The group, aiming to criticize and influence the university’s financial decisions, particularly focuses on investments in companies they believe are involved in the occupation of Palestine. On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, students gathered for a meeting where various activities and strategies were discussed.
According to spokesperson Emil Nielsen, there is good dialogue with the university’s administration, but there is still a lack of open communication with the university’s board. Students against Occupation have demanded that the university ensure full financial transparency and divest from companies that profit from or are complicit in the occupation of Palestine. This includes companies like Airbnb and Booking.com, which, according to the United Nations’ blacklist, operate in Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories.
Nielsen points out that despite following international conventions from the UN and OECD, the university still invests in companies that do not meet these standards. He also criticizes the university’s use of private third-party firms to assess companies’ compliance with ethical guidelines when the UN has already identified problematic companies.
The protest at the University of Copenhagen is an example of a growing trend among students and academic institutions worldwide to demand more accountability in how their money is invested. Students against Occupation plan to continue their activities and push for changes in the university’s investment policies. Ritzau has attempted to get a comment from the University of Copenhagen without success. Protests and debates on ethical investment continue to be a hot topic in the university environment.