Trinity College Dublin’s new Taskforce on Academic and Institutional International Links and Related Matters will hold its first meeting on November 22nd following the approval of its terms of reference by the Board and University Council.
The taskforce was established as part of the agreement that concluded the five-day encampment organised by Trinity’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and by several members of Trinity College Dublin Student Union (TCDSU) on May 8th. It will function within the College’s formal structures, as its recommendations must be submitted to the relevant Principal Committees, Council and Board, as required, in line with the University’s academic governance.
It will consist of 26 members, including three nominated by TCDSU, two by the Central Societies’ Committee and four nominated by the Group of Unions. Mary Irvine, former President of the High Court and a judge who has served on the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, has accepted the position of Chair of the Taskforce.
In a release from the College, Mary Irvine said: “For a globally active institution like Trinity, which can and must forge links right across the world, it is both wise and important to consider in a formal manner the terms under which those links are established. I am very much looking forward to my role as Chair of this timely Taskforce and to the discussions that this group will undertake.”
According to a release from the College, the taskforce will: “address the issues raised in the resolution statement (8th May) arising from the encampment regarding the conflict in Gaza, by developing a set of ethical principles to inform future links and exchanges between Trinity College Dublin and higher education institutions and commercial enterprises in jurisdictions where armed conflicts occur and / or there are violations of international law;”
It will additionally consider the interplay of individual academic freedom and institutional autonomy, the potential for Trinity to issue official declarations on social, cultural, and political matters, and ways to enhance support for constructive disagreement and viewpoint diversity within the College. The taskforce will invite the College community to make submissions regarding these issues with presentations to inform their deliberations and will provide recommendations to the Board and Council on the outcomes.
