“It is my intent that my door is always open.” Those were the words of Glasgow University’s Principal and Vice Chancellor, Prof Andy Schofield, when he took office. Students and staff may reasonably ask whether that promise has been honoured.

I am a student at Glasgow University. Here, students and staff have led multi-year campaigns for the university to divest from the arms trade. But after the landslide election of pro-divestment Palestinian surgeon Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a student referendum which saw almost 90% of voters favouring divestment, and desperate attempts by students to force the hand of senior management through demonstrations, building occupations, and road blockades — the issue has ceased to even appear on the agenda for university court meetings.

Instead, senior management has chosen to deepen ties with weapons manufacturers by becoming a founding member of the Defence Universities Alliance, as part of a £182 million investment by the UK government in defence-related research.

The scheme links university funding more directly to the defence sector than ever before, driving research towards areas that support militarisation and the drive to war, rather than focussing on addressing issues of pressing societal need.

This will make the same weapons manufacturers that produced crucial parts for F-35 jets, used in indiscriminate bombing campaigns across the Gaza Strip, even more embedded into research and teaching.

Member universities must promise to funnel students into “exciting” defence careers. The move represents a massive change in the strategic direction and culture of the university at large. Whether you agree with it or not,........

© Herald Scotland