Dear Associate Professor Dorothée Cambou, and Professor Emeritus, Academician of Science Martti Koskenniemi,
On behalf of the entire University of Helsinki rectorate, I would like to thank you for your message and the attached Call for Action addressed to all Finnish universities. As you quite rightly state, the use of violence in the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas has been excessive, and some aspects may indeed constitute human rights violations punishable under international law. Since the escalation of the conflict in October 2023, I have publicly condemned the use of violence on behalf of the University. My public statements on this matter continue to be valid.
In your Call for Action, you list four requests, and I would like to take this opportunity to address all of these;
- Adopt a comprehensive human-rights policy with mandatory due-diligence mechanisms to review all academic partnerships, research collaborations, financial investments, and technological partnerships.
All international collaboration of the University of Helsinki are subject to human rights and other ethical considerations. The same is true for our financial investments and technological partnerships.
All our current collaborations with Israel researcher-led, and not institutional in the sense that related commitments are made by our academic units. However, as Rector, I have made the use of the RISK-I -tool as of 1.9.2025 mandatory across the University for all project-based international collaboration. The tool addresses ethical considerations requiring decision-makers to take these matters into consideration before engaging in a partnership and includes a clear caution regarding collaboration with Israeli partners. Additionally, we are currently revising our ethical advisory structures to further solidify our approach to responsible international engagement.
- Suspend academic and research collaborations, including targeted participation in Horizon consortia, when due-diligence processes identify involvement in, or contributions to, violations of international law or human rights.
The University of Helsinki suspended the activities of our two university-level exchange agreements with Israeli partners over 18 months ago, and we have committed to an ethical review before any activities would be resumed. Where Horizon Europe -funded research collaboration in concerned, we are still allowing existing projects to go ahead, and are not considering to engage in a full-fledged academic boycott, so as to stand on the side of academic freedom. As you may know, all projects under Horizon Europe must be civil in nature, and no military or defence research is currently allowed. I am fully confident that all the projects this university are involved in, do not contribute to Israel’s military capabilities or actions.
- Divest from companies and institutions that, based on due-diligence findings, are complicit in displacement, apartheid, militarized research, or other forms of oppression, as documented by the UN Special Rapporteur and the BDS movement
Very soon after the Israeli ground forces entered the Gaza Strip, we undertook an analysis of our investment portfolio. I am happy to report that we found no direct investments to Israeli companies, and this continues to be the case.
- Call on the Finnish Government to recognize Palestine, deliver humanitarian aid, implement ICJ factfinding orders, and impose sanctions while ending the arms trade with violators of international law.
As you have noted in the text of the Call, the University of Helsinki is a signatory to the Belgian universities initiative to suspend the Association Agreement with the European Commission. As such a decision would require a decision by individual EU member states, we have repeatedly informed the Ministry of Education and Culture, and other government branches, of our views in this matter. I sincerely hope that this would lead to an eventual suspension decision by the appropriate government branches, relieving individual universities and other research organisations from needing to take significant financial and contractual risks in the absence of appropriate case law.
Finally, I would like to bring to your attention that we are in constant contact with our European partners and their leadership representatives in order to make sure that our relevant policies and guidelines are aligned with theirs. We will also discuss all related matters with the new Board of the University of Helsinki during the coming months.
Please feel free to distribute this response to the rest of your signatories.
Respectfully,
Sari Lindblom
Rector of the University of Helsinki