{"id":176784,"date":"2025-03-13T10:42:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T09:42:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=176784"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:43","slug":"let-students-discuss-which-values-their-association-represents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2025\/03\/13\/let-students-discuss-which-values-their-association-represents\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Let students discuss which values their association represents’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Should study associations take a more critical look at their partnerships with companies? This question came up last week, after climate activists interrupted a wine tasting at the Pavilion. “Irresponsible that the university allows Shell to woo our students with an evening of luxury.”<\/p>\n

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A group of activists disrupted a wine tasting at the Pavilion nearly two weeks ago. The inspiration evening was organised by STAR, the faculty association of the Rotterdam School of Management, and sponsored by Shell.<\/p>\n

The call to sever ties with the fossil fuel industry has long been directed at the university\u2019s administration; now, climate activists are also addressing study and student associations regarding their collaborations. Should these associations critically evaluate which companies they invite?<\/p>\n

Neutral<\/h2>

\u201cI absolutely disagree with this\u201d, responds a student. \u201cThe role of the university, study, and student associations in this situation is to provide students with neutral opportunities and chances. They can then decide for themselves if they are interested.\u201d<\/p>\n

He is not alone. Other students also see little benefit in a more restrictive entry policy. They want to be informed about career opportunities in a \u2018neutral\u2019, \u2018as broadly as possible\u2019, \u2018open\u2019, \u2018diverse\u2019, or \u2018transparent\u2019 manner. Or as one student puts it: \u201cWho are we to decide which companies are \u2018moral\u2019 enough?\u201d<\/p>\n

Evening of luxury<\/h2>

But is that attitude truly neutral, one staff member points out. \u201cI often sit back and watch how our university regularly opens itself up to recruitment campaigns by mega companies like ING and Shell, which we know contribute heavily to pollution and climate change. Although students are free to choose this path, I find it irresponsible that the university and its study associations encourage these career choices by allowing Shell to woo our students with an evening of luxury. This does not align with the role of the university as a community of knowledge and an institution for the public good, but rather fits the image of the university as a knowledge factory producing useful workers for an unsustainable economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA fantastic action by these students\u201d, feels another staff member regarding the demonstrators at the wine tasting. \u201cThey at least understand that scientific knowledge acquisition has moral implications in a real world with real people; that this knowledge can be used to build a fundamentally different type of society that works for everyone, or to help the Shells of this world plunder the Earth and its most vulnerable inhabitants even more efficiently.\u201d The solution is, in any case, out of the box: \u201cCan we not transfer the entire \u2018school of management\u2019 to the university of applied science next door?\u201d<\/p>\n

Values<\/h2>

It would be beneficial for students in associations to think about which values they wish to represent, suggests yet another staff member. \u201cIf you stand behind a green future, you should not invite guests who are actively involved in fossil fuels.\u201d There may be a role for the university in this, she believes. \u201cHowever, I think it\u2019s better if associations and students engage in discussions themselves and come up with rules they actually support.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many students are already reflecting on this, as shown by the responses on our Instagram. For some, Shell and the fossil fuel industry are not welcome. Others draw the line at involvement in war crimes or allegations of human rights violations. \u2018Transparency\u2019 regarding the choices that associations make is vital, both for someone wanting to deny oil companies access to campus and for a student who considers every company acceptable.<\/p>\n\n\t

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