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To: Professor Orla Feely, Professor Colin Scott, Professor Helen Roche, Professor Dolores O’Riordan, Mr. Tristan Aitken, Mr. David Kelly, Professor Tasman Crowe, Ms. Triona McCormack, Professor Regina Uí Chollatáin, Professor Anthony Brabazon, Professor Aoife Ahern, Professor Cecily Kelleher, Professor Niamh Moore-Cherry, Professor Jeremy Simpson

CC: Heads of school in Engineering and Architecture

Dear President Feely and members of the University Management Team,

We are staff and students in the UCD College of Engineering and Architecture and we feel compelled to speak out. We are engineers, architects, city planners, landscape architects and supporting technical and administrative staff. We are guided by our respective codes of ethics and conduct which bind us to speak and act with truth, honesty, and integrity,[1-2] and to prioritise the protection of human life and welfare.[1] We study, research, teach and practice our disciplines to improve and protect our built and natural environments,[1,2,4] to improve people’s lives and to serve the common good.[3] To stay silent in this moment would not only be a betrayal of our moral and professional obligations to speak out, it would also be to turn our backs on our colleagues, students, friends and on the Palestinian people. Remaining silent is not neutrality. Silence is a choice to stand for the status quo, to stand with genocide, and even to profit from it by insisting on maintaining ties with Israeli universities and institutions. It is a mistake we refuse to make.

To maintain ties with the state of Israel as it commits heinous crimes against humanity is in direct contrast with the values we as a university, a student body, and faculty should strive for. We as students and staff of UCD deserve and demand to have our values reflected in our University.

We will defer to Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, The International Court of Justice and our colleagues in the College of Social Sciences and Law in warning of the grave risk of genocide in Gaza. We make no claim to be experts on genocide. We can however say that we are watching in real time as the infrastructure needed to sustain a people and culture are systematically destroyed; water sources, roads, hospitals, ambulances, bakeries, shops, museums, and homes are all being reduced to rubble. We mourn each and every one of the over 34,000 men, women, and children that have been murdered by Israeli bombs and bullets and those that are now facing death due to famine and disease purposefully manufactured by the state of Israel.

We mourn for the historical buildings of cultural and architectural significance; for the destruction of Gaza’s main public library; for the dozens of mosques and churches of historical, religious, and cultural importance. And we mourn too for our University’s loss of moral clarity: from deploring Russia’s ‘violations of international law’ in 2022 to its deafening silence on Gaza today. Arab and Muslim staff and students have expressed the pain this double standard has caused them, and we wish to remind the University of its obligation to listen to the voices of minorities.

Schools, colleges, and universities have been bombed and demolished by Israeli forces. All twelve Gazan Universities (Al-Aqsa University, Al-Azhar University of Gaza, Al-Quds Open University, Gaza University, Islamic University of Gaza, Israa University, Palestine Technical College, University College of Applied Sciences, University of Palestine, Gaza Community Centre and Hassan University) have been destroyed by Israeli Airstrikes and demolitions in what has been referred as an educide or a scholasticide.[4] If our buildings were demolished, our University leadership eliminated, our academics murdered and our students bombed in their own homes we would expect our colleagues across the world to speak out; if our educational community was systematically dismantled, our research destroyed and our students education forcefully ended we would not expect educational leaders to remain ‘neutral’. From October to April, at least five thousand students and 95 university professors were murdered by the Israeli Military. These are our colleagues. These are your colleagues. The education and research systems we value so much as a university community are being systematically denied to the people of Gaza.

That conditions incompatible with life, culture and education are being created is self-evident and undeniable. As staff and students in our respective disciplines we can only conclude that these acts are an intentional, systematic and engineered attempt to destroy a people and their society. We are distraught that our University appears blind to this. We believe it is right to defend Academic Freedom, however, it would be hypocritical of us to claim it for our University while the same is being taken away from Palestinians.

We were disappointed to have to learn from a student newspaper[5] that the University’s previous denials of having relationships with Israeli universities, which are supporting the Israeli army in committing heinous crimes against civilians, were untrue. We are concerned that the University has provided no reassurance that its money is not directly or indirectly funding technology, research, or projects for the Israeli Defence Forces. That the majority of these relationships appear to be in STEM subjects heightens our concern that the research could be used by military forces. The University must conduct and publish a thorough and independent review of all its relationships with Israeli institutions. We join the calls for an academic boycott of Israel, and once again highlight that this would not prevent individual UCD academics from collaborating with individual Israeli academics where appropriate.

We urge you to:

1.       Publicly call for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza and an end to settler violence and illegal settlements in the West Bank.

2.       Publish, in a public place, the full details of UCD ties to any and all Israeli institutions, including donations, investments, funding and research links.

3.       Sever all ties with Israeli institutions, recognising that continued ties to a state committing genocidal war crimes makes us complicit.

4.       Commit to working with national and international partners to rebuild the educational infrastructure of Gaza.

5.       Donate towards pro-Palestinian movements and charities to offset the damage already done in continuing to partner with and profit from relationships with the state of Israel as it commits genocidal acts.

We note that we are writing to you at a time when staff and students across the world, and indeed here in Ireland, are peacefully dissenting on campuses. We express our severe disappointment in the members of management who were present and failed to intervene when a student representative was violently removed from a University event for dissenting. Neutrality cannot be claimed when we honour those who support and arm the Israeli army while we violently silence those who do not. We hope that this mistake does not represent your attitude towards our students.

If we are our serious about being Ireland’s Global University we cannot ignore what is happening today in Gaza.  We have an obligation to defend the right to education, research, knowledge, and culture across the globe and should be proud to take a stand. Aside from our obligations as professionals and members of an educational community, we feel that to remain silent would be a burden on our humanity. To remain silent in the face of genocide, when brazen attacks on university buildings and killings of university leaderships, academics and students are so well documented, would be a shameful stain on our legacy as a community and institution. It would be a moral failure that goes against our most basic duties towards our fellow human beings.

As staff and students in Engineering and Architecture we dedicate our time and efforts to creating a better world for the future. We believe all people, regardless of race or religion deserve to share in this. We ask you to stand with us in the fight to create a better future by demanding an end to the deplorable violence and destruction of the present. We cannot dream of a better future while hypocritically remaining complicit in the present. We have an opportunity and an obligation to stand up for what is right. We as the students and staff of UCD Engineering and Architecture stand with the people of Palestine. We ask you to do the right thing – to stand with us.

Yours faithfully,

Over 250 staff and students from the UCD College of Engineering and Architecture

Abby Purdy, Student
Abdoulah Ly, Researcher
Abigail Whitney, Student
Adam Walsh, Student
Adesola Ojomo-Amaka, Student
Ailbhe Staunton, Student
Aisling Carroll, Student
Aislinn Pantony, Student
Alana Coakley, Student
Alannah Mehigan, Student
Alex Brady, Student
Alex Corroon, Student
Alexander Byrne, Student
Alexandra Elliott, Student
Alexandra Yang, Student
Alexandra Zheleznyak, Student
Ameen Magomadov, Student
Andi Lupu, Student
Andrei Gabriel Mihai, Student
Andrew Bogle, Student
Aness Al-Qawlaq, Student
Angelina Maney, Student
Anna Fitzpatrick, Student
Anna Kendellen, Student
Aoife Flavin, Student
Aoife Healy, Student
Aoife Nic Fhlannchadha, Student
Asia Dall’Armi Villaret, Student
Aysen Jahola, Student
Baraa Khaled AlQawlaq, Student
Baraa Khamees, Student
Ben Yarker, Student
Beth Cummings, Student
Bianca Munteanu, Student
Bill FitzGerald, Student
Caitriona Timmins, Student
Caoimhe Byrne, Student
Carmen Gray, Student
Cassie Tobin, Student
Cathal O’Dwyer Boyle, Student
Celia Willis, Student
Cerys John, Student
Charlie Browne, Student
Christine McCambridge, Student
Ciadhra Lynch, Student
Cian Aird, Student
Cian Mullen, Student
Cian O’Mahoney, Student
Ciara Reddy, Design Fellow
Cillian Murphy, Student
Cillian O’Connor, Student
Cillian OSullivan, Student
Claudia Mohan, Student
Clodagh Parkinson, Student
Clodagh Rea, Student
Colm Shortall, Student
Conni Rose Dawson, Student
Connor Leahy, Student
Conor Clune, Student
Conor Reilly, Student
Cormac Adams, Student
Cristina Fitzgerald, Student
Dan Coffey, Student
Daniel Álvarez Carreño, Student
David Treacy, Student
Davide Passarello, Student
Davis Whalen, Student
Declan Hetherington, Student
Deeban Babu, Student
Diarmuid Green, Student
Dónal Holland, Assistant Professor
Donal Monahan, Student
Douglas Carson, Design Fellow
Eadaoin McCarron, Student
Éamon Sheridan, Student
Eanna Kinsella, Student
Edoardo Nestor, Student
Edward Connolly, Student
Eimear Healy, Student
Ekaterina Simakova, Student
Elisabeth Shipley, Student
Elise McDermott, Student
Elizabeth Phelan, Student
Ellen Herssens, Student
Ellen McNally, Student
Ellen Potts, Student
Emily Bhreathnach, Student
Emily Ní Dhuinn, Student
Emily-Kate Warnock, Student
Emma McCann, Student
Emmett Judge, Student
Eoghan Gurrin, Student
Eoin McWey, Student
Eoin O’Sullivan, Student
Erin Chen, Student
Erina Bejtullahu, Student
Estabraq Eliwa, Student
Euan McDonnell, Student
Eva Cazali Wall, Student
Eva Murphy, Student
Evan De Lacey, Student
Evan Langrell, Student
Fasih Mebuin, Student
Fatima Binta Barrie, Student
Fergal Kilgannon, Student
Fergus Kelly, Student
Finn Calverley, Student
Finn O’Reilly, Student
Fiyinfoluwa Oluokun, Student
Francesca Murray, Student
Gabriel Irimes, Student
Gabriela Orjuela Dorado, Student
Gabrielle Murray, Student
Gavin Mac Aonghusa, Student
Georgia McCarthy, Student
Glen English, Student
Glenn Gilmartin, Student
Grace Power, Student
Guillaume Musard, Student
Haris Shahab, Student
Harry Priestley, Student
Hasan Khan, Student
Heather Byrne, Student
Heather Roche, Student
Helen Aherne, Student
Henry Start, Student
Hiba Tul Slam, Student
Hugh O Connor, Student
Hugo Mulligan, Student
Ibrahim Alyahya, Student
Iona Lee-Parnell, Student
Irene Barrenechea Arriola, Student
Iseult Bracken, Student
Iva Sekulic, Student
James Borthwick, Student
James Crowley, Student
James Duke, Student
James Gallagher, Student
James Potter, Student
James Sharkey, Student
Jane Doherty, Student
Jaya van Koert, Student
John Daly, Student
John Power, PhD Researcher
Kaitlyn Moran, Student
Karen Duddy, Student
Karen Waters, Student
Kate Barrett, Student
Katie Dunne, Student
Katie Earl, Student
Kevin Barry, Student
Lamia Yous, Student
Lauren Callaghan, Student
Lauren Victor, Student
Leah Holtz, Student
Leah Kenrick, Student
Lenci Namburu, Student
Lexi Helsdon, Student
Lia Cronin, Student
Lily Bellhouse, Student
Lorna Sheehan, Student
Lucas Garcia, Student
Lucy Wall, Student
Luke Andrade, Student
Luke O’Driscoll, Student
Lylian Martinez, Student
Maeve Shortall, Student
Mahia Rahman, Student
Maia Gorman, Student
Mara Anton, Student
Maria Curran, Student
Maria O’Donohoe, Student
Martha o leary, Student
Mary Laheen, Assistant Professor
Maryam Shaia, Student
Massab Nazeer, Student
Méabh Hickey, Student
Meabh O’Brien, Student
Meadhbh Ní Dhubhgaill, Student
Mei Ling Dekorne, Student
Melina Silva Kavaratzi, Student
Mia McBridr, Student
Mícheál O’Connor, Student
Mihaela Deli, Student
Miles Rothwell, Student
Mohammad Alboloushi, Student
Mohammef AlJazzaf, Student
Molly Holmes, Student
Muhammad Rameel Rizwanuddin, Student
Nabeel Olusekun, Student
Narayana Gifford, Student
Niall Hanratty, Student
Niamh Healy, Student
Niamh Ní Chonaill-Nelson, Student
Oisín Hogan, Student
Olivia Plunkett, Student
Onosen Ikhide, Student
Óran O’Brien, Student
Orla Egan, Student
Orla Fahey, Student
Órlaith McElvaney, Student
Oscar Daly, Student
Oscar Ó Gormáin, Student
Patrick Campbell, Student
Pete Tansey, Assistant Professor
Phoebe Horgan, Student
Praise Titus, Student
Rachel Butler, Student
Rachel O’Neill, Student
Ray Foysal, Student
Rebecca Glynn, Student
Réka Zétényi, Student
Roan Zechner, Student
Robert o callaghan, Student
Rohan Kuzhippillil, Student
Roisin Nolan, Student
Róisín Sharkey, Student
Ronan Kennedy, Student
Rory Kinane, Student
Ruan McCabe, Student
Ruth Akinola, Student
Sam Meenan, Student
Sam Whelan, Student
Sameer Baloch, Student
Saoirse Murphy, Student
Sarah Levie, Student
Sarah Little, Student
Sarah Mehigan, Student
Seán Condren Kuipers, Student
Sean Egan, Student
Senan O’Neill, Student
Shane Mc Morrow, Student
Sharona Kelly, Student
Shauna Langan, Student
Sophie, Student
Stephanie Oshioke Aroyame, Student
Stephen Abaya, Student
Stephen Mullen, Student
Sumesh Deshmukh, Student
Tadhg Maguire, Student
Thomas Patrick Reaney, Student
Thomas Walsh, Student
Tim Mills, Student
Tom Shepherd, Student
Trudie Goodman, Student
Valerie Raftery, Student
Victoria Brazionyte, Student
Yanuar Pradana, Student
Yousuf Alkayed, Student
Yumna Khalid, Student
Yusuf Alraqi, Student
Zac Fetchati, Student
Zhaolyuhe Wang, Student
Zoe Hunter, Student
Zoe McConnell, Student

[1] Code of Ethics, Engineers Ireland, 2023, https://www.engineersireland.ie/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=0L3VSJJG_xY%3d&portalid=0&resourceView=1.
[2] Code of Professional Conduct, Institute of Chemical Engineers, 2020, https://www.icheme.org/media/15407/code-of-professional-conduct-2020-effective-from-1-january-2021-f.pdf.
[3] Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct, Irish Planning Institute, 2023, https://ipi.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2024_Code-of-Ethics-Professional-Conduct-Bye-Law-1.pdf.
[4] The war in Gaza is wiping out Palestine’s education and knowledge systems. The Conversation, February 8 2024, https://theconversation.com/the-war-in-gaza-is-wiping-out-palestines-education-and-knowledge-systems-222055
[5] UCD’s ties with Israel: College spends €4,822,950.72 on collaborative research projects despite calls for a full academic boycott. Tessa Ndjonkou & Ilaria Riccio, University Observer, Jan 24 2024, https://universityobserver.ie/ucds-ties-with-israel-college-spends-482295072-on-collaborative-research-projects-despite-calls-for-a-full-academic-boycott/