Eindhoven University of Technology occupiers satisfied for now

The climate activists who occupied two rooms at Eindhoven University of Technology have called off their protest. They regard the promises extracted from the university’s executive board as a victory.

“We’re not done yet”, activist Liz van der Jagt tells the university’s magazine Cursor. “But we definitely see this as a victory and it goes beyond what’s been achieved at other universities.”

Satisfied

The eleven activists from activism groups University Rebellion and End Fossil Occupy occupied two rooms at Eindhoven University of Technology from Monday last week onwards. They had three demands: the university had to sever all ties with the fossil fuel industry, publicly acknowledge the climate emergency and be more transparent about its financial ties with businesses.

The university’s executive board promised the students a report setting out how sustainable the scientific research at Eindhoven is. In addition, there is to be a greater degree of transparency from now on with regard to financial support that the university receives from businesses. The activists are satisfied with these promises and have called off the occupation.

Draft version

The activists will have a ‘follow-up meeting on the draft version of the annual accounts’ on 12 April, Van der Jagt tells Cursor. “This will enable us to see whether the board is sticking to its promises.”

On Friday, the board acknowledged the climate crisis and its manifold devastating consequences. The occupiers regarded that as a victory as well.