UJ Senate votes on Ben-Gurion partnership 

In a protracted and spirited debate, the Senate of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) today voted to allow its formal relationship with Ben-Gurion University (BGU) in Israel to lapse on 1 April 2011

This was one of two options put to the vote in the Senate, the second being to allow the formal relationship with BGU to continue and to develop bilateral relations with both BGU and Palestinian universities.

Sixty percent of the Senate (72 members present) voted to allow the Memorandum of Understanding with BGU to lapse, while the balance 40 percent (45 members present ) voted for bilateral agreements.

The Senate vote effectively upholds an earlier resolution that placed conditions on its continued relationships with BGU, among them the inclusion of Palestinian university partners.

Today's Senate vote does not preclude individual academics from UJ, BGU or any Palestinian university from any academic collaboration. The Senate vote encourages academics at UJ, BGU and Palestinian universities to pursue research projects without formal institutional agreements.

Statement issued by Herman Esterhuizen, Coordinator: Media Relations Division of Institutional Advancement, University of Johannesburg, March 23 2011

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