Encampment on Palace Green, Durham City

Published on Friday 31 May 2024

Meeting with students, Thursday 30 May

On Thursday 30 May, the University held a second meeting with students from the encampment on Palace Green, Durham City, specifically to discuss their concerns in respect of the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.

Dr Shaid Mahmood, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), met with the students on behalf of the University on both 21 and 30 May.

There has been an ongoing dialogue between students and University colleagues, starting when the camp set up on Friday 10 May, focusing on welfare, safety, and security.  

Our ethical investment policy and activities  

As a charity, a proportion of University assets are invested to generate a financial return to support educational objectives.   

In the 21 May meeting, the students said that, while they had many concerns about the ongoing conflict, their top priority was for the university to urgently review its investments. This was especially in relation to companies involved in armament production and / or sales and fossil fuels, specifying several named companies.

Consequently, on Thursday 30 May Dr Mahmood took printed copies of the University’s ethical investment policy and explained this in detail. The policy is available on the University website  and is kept under regular review. 

Key points included:

• The policy is consistently applied by our Chief Financial Officer and our Finance Committee of University Council, on which there is Durham Students’ Union representation.
• The University uses fund managers who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.  They are tasked to manage the investments of the University to achieve a target return, but first and foremost this must be achieved by investing within the University’s ethical investment policy. 
• The University does not and will not invest in companies that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco, armaments, which includes any involved in the Israel-Gaza war, or fossil fuel extractive companies.  We announced that we would not invest in companies involved in the extraction of fossil fuels in 2018, following a period of student and staff consultation, as reflected in our policy.

Listening to student concerns

At the 30 May meeting, the students provided comments on aspects of the policy relating to armaments.

On behalf of the University, Dr Mahmood committed to hearing more from the students and to sharing their views with Finance Committee. To enable this, he will share with them a link to a document where they can outline their views in detail. This will be shared with Finance Committee for its meeting later in June.  

Recognising how important this is to our students, Dr Mahmood also committed, on behalf of the University, to exploring the sharing of a list of investments made via third-party fund managers. The University can now confirm this will happen.

Continued support for our students and staff  

At the meeting of 30 May, Dr Mahmood outlined how University colleagues are supporting our students impacted by this conflict.  This includes bespoke and individual support to our Palestinian and our Jewish students.   

University colleagues continue to reach out, proactively, to students to hear and act on concerns.  They have key points of contact within the University to raise any matters.  

The University has reaffirmed and increased our financial support for current and future Durham Palestine Educational Trust (DPET) scholars.

Rebuilding higher education

The University has set aside a significant fund to support students in international emergencies, including the current situation in Gaza, and to support any rebuilding. 

We will support rebuilding higher education when we can, working with sector partners and DPET.  

Dr Mahmood outlined to the students how conversations are developing both locally, regionally and at a sector level on what this rebuilding might look like, working collaboratively with higher education institutions and partners. 

On behalf of the University, he emphasised that student involvement in these developments is important and welcome.  

Dr Mahmood and University colleagues recently attended a workshop organised by the DPET and hosted by Durham University, to develop further proposals for building practical support for educators and students in Palestine.  

Dr Mahmood added: “I shared the outputs of that work by DPET. I also confirmed to the students that the University would welcome student involvement in further development of those proposals, so we can take account of their perspectives and draw on any relevant experience.” 

The University is committed to continued dialogue with the students and to meeting again the week commencing Monday 3 June. 

On behalf of the University, Dr Mahmood committed to responding to other matters set out in the original meeting of 21 May. As agreed with the students, the meeting of 30 May concentrated on the group’s stated primary concern around investments. 

Previous statements


Published on Tuesday 21 May 2024

University colleagues have continued regular dialogue with students who have set up an encampment on Palace Green.

Since the camp was established on Friday 10 May, University colleagues have met frequently with students and enquired about their welfare, safety, and security, which is always our paramount concern.

The University has taken appropriate action to address concerns, and has outlined expected behaviours to protect the rights of others, including staff, students, and visitors, to go about their business safely, unimpeded, and free from intimidation, duress, or harassment.

An opportunity to listen

On Tuesday 21 May, Dr Shaid Mahmood, our Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion), on behalf of the University, met with students at the encampment, in what was the first meeting between Dr Mahmood and the students.

This was an opportunity to hear the students’ thinking about their demands and the weight they attach to them. The conversation lasted almost two hours, covering many topics. We are now working through the detail of matters raised. As part of the conversation, Dr Mahmood discussed the support we are offering to Palestinian students and how we might contribute to higher education being rebuilt following the conflict.

Dr Mahmood committed to communicating further with students by the end of this week, and we will share this communication via our website.

Supporting freedom of speech

Dr Mahmood said: “The University supports the right to lawful protest and freedom of speech where it is done in a safe and respectful way, which we have outlined to the students at the encampment.

“Since Friday 10 May, colleagues have met frequently with the students, to speak with them and to hear any concerns. This has helped us take important measures to ensure their welfare, safety, and security.

“We fully understand and respect that many of our students and staff feel appalled and concerned about the events in Gaza and Israel as the conflict continues. We appreciate they feel very strongly about expressing their views.

“From the outset, the University has expressed distress and mounting concern about the situation as detailed in our statement and communications.

“Today I sought to listen and understand more about the students’ perspectives and their position as they continue to protest. We appreciate the students’ work to ensure the welfare, safety, and security of those involved in the encampment are considered, as well as the Durham Students’ Union engagement on this. We welcome the opportunity for continued, open conversation with all our students.”

Published on Saturday 11 May 2024

We did not receive prior notice of the encampment but we fully support and respect the right to lawful protest. We never waver from our commitment to uphold freedom of speech within the law. Our initial focus this weekend has been on the wellbeing of the students involved, and we have been in dialogue with the protestors about this. 

As a University, our top priority is the wellbeing and safety of all our students and staff, strengthening campus relations and striving for community cohesion of our diverse global community. This continues to drive our responses. We appreciate efforts to sustain this by the Students’ Union. 

We take seriously the concerns of all our students. We have from the outset been engaging actively with students across different communities and continue to do so. 

As a University, we have repeatedly expressed our deepest hope that a way will be found for a peaceful resolution to the conflict as soon as possible. We also hope for the end to the violence and the safe return of the remaining hostages. 

Published on Friday 10 May 2024

From the outset of events in the Middle East our priority has been to support all students and staff and our wider community, to ensure their health, safety and wellbeing and to do everything we can to ensure good community relations and the cohesion of our diverse global community.

We have continually expressed distress and mounting concern at the appalling and huge number of civilian casualties and humanitarian suffering experienced by the people of Gaza, the appalling attacks on Israel and the plight of Israeli hostages.  

We have closely monitored the situation and provided direct and bespoke support to all students affected, including our Palestinian and Jewish students. 

The University supports and respects the right to lawful protest. We are committed to consistently and robustly upholding freedom of speech within the law, which includes the right of students and staff to protest safely and respectfully, as set out in the University’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Expression.   

The right to lawful protest must however be balanced between the rights of protesters to assert their views on the one hand and, on the other, the rights of others (students, staff and visitors) to go about their business safely, unimpeded and free from intimidation, duress and harassment.  

We are a diverse, global community with many differing views and perspectives. While individuals and groups within the University community may express lawful views on any issue, it is expected that this is done in a safe and respectful way.

We do not tolerate any form of prejudice or discrimination, including antisemitism or anti-Muslim hatred and will take swift action. We condemn in the strongest possible terms any incidents targeting individuals or groups for their religious, political, or cultural beliefs. 

We have stringent policies and processes in place to deal with any incidents reported to us, and any criminal matters will be reported to Police.     

As a University, we express our deepest hope that a way will be found for a peaceful resolution to the conflict as soon as possible. We also hope for the end of violence and the safe return of the remaining hostages.      

We have a published statement online and detailed FAQs for our students and staff which are updated regularly.  These affirm our support for students, staff and our wider community.