‘Give refugee scientists security’

Professor Marie-José van Tol will head the Young Academy, a group of relatively young scientists affiliated to the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). She is a psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist at the University Medical Center Groningen. She is also involved in evaluating NOW’s Hestia programme for refugee scientists, which was set up in cooperation with the Young Academy and others.

“What is happening in Ukraine is extremely serious”, she says. As far as she is concerned, it is all hands on deck. She thinks it is important to already think about what the Netherlands can do for scientists who have to flee their country or who are staying there. They cannot practise their profession properly in oppression and that is why, according to Van Tol, it is extra important that they are well received or supported.

Long-term contracts
“Offer them a long-term contract at the university, but also think about access to the library or a workplace, or link them to a scientist here who can help them on their way, as is already happening.”

‘It is important for refugee scientists to have a safe base’

These long-term contracts are not easy to come by in the academic world, she realises. “But I think it is especially important for refugee scientists to have a safe base, because they also have to learn a new language, adapt to the system and process stress.”

According to Van Tol, the government should provide money for this. “That is not only a form of humanitarian aid, but ultimately also an investment in democracy. The danger is that a whole generation of scientists in Ukraine will be swept away and with them their knowledge and discoveries. You can also view it as a measure to keep academic freedom alive.”

Statement
The Dutch universities (UvN) are also standing up for this academic freedom in a joint statement. They see it as their responsibility to ‘contribute through research and education to a better world and to work for peace, respect and (academic) freedom’.

The Dutch universities have expressed their shock at the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They are ‘deeply concerned about the consequences it has for Ukrainian universities and the academic community’. “We stand in solidarity with students and staff in Ukraine and we embrace the academic communities in Russia who are speaking out against the invasion and who continue to courageously work for peace, dialogue and open cooperation,” they write.

‘Let’s do science, not war!’

The universities say they ‘support students and staff’ who are directly or indirectly affected by the war.  “We see that there is uncertainty among Ukrainian and Russian employees and students in the Netherlands. We are doing our utmost to help them as best we can.” In addition, the universities say they are ‘looking at what possibilities there are to offer help to academics in Ukraine’. The statement does not yet mention shelter in the Netherlands, as called for by Van Tol.

Open letter
German universities and all other scientific organisations in that country also made themselves heard on Friday. They will immediately stop cooperating with Russian state institutions and companies, after the German government called for this.

Meanwhile, Russian scientists and science journalists signed an open letter strongly protesting the invasion of Ukraine. “Our country, which made an important contribution to the victory over national socialism, has now itself started a new war in Europe.” They demand an immediate end to military operations: “Let’s do science, not war!”

They warn that Russia is becoming the pariah of Europe. “That means that we as scientists can no longer do our work normally, after all: doing scientific research is unthinkable without the full cooperation of colleagues in other countries. War with Ukraine leads to nothing.”

HOP, Hein Cuppen, Josefine van Enk
Delta, Saskia Bonger