The University of Bern dissolves the Middle East Institute
Published: Thursday, Feb 1st 2024, 12:32
Updated At: Thursday, Feb 1st 2024, 12:32
Zurück zu Live Feed
The University of Bern is dissolving the Middle East Institute in its current form. This was decided by the university management following an administrative investigation into the institute. This was initiated after a lecturer at the institute made positive comments about the Hamas attack on Israel.
"There will no longer be a Middle East Institute," said the Rector of the University of Bern, Christian Leumann, to the media on Thursday. However, the content that has been researched at the institute will continue to be researched in the future. The institute is to be embedded in a larger scientific and methodological context with other specialist areas.
The University of Bern's Faculty of Humanities will now present a structural report on the reorganization of the department by the end of June 2024, according to the university. Until the new structure is established, the remaining institute will be placed under the supervision of the faculty management.
Peter Schneemann, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, said that students currently enrolled at the Middle East Institute would be guaranteed the opportunity to obtain their desired degree.
Co-leader is reinstated
The investigation into the Institute for Studies of the Middle East and Muslim Societies (ISNO) was initiated after an employee made positive comments about Hamas' attack on Israel on the online platform X (formerly Twitter). The employee was subsequently dismissed without notice. "I would like to reiterate that the University of Bern condemns all forms of violence and discrimination," emphasized Leumann.
The co-director of the ISNO, Serena Tolino, was relieved of her duties during the investigation. She has now been reinstated, according to the University of Bern. However, she will be admonished for shortcomings in her leadership behavior. According to the university management, the shortcomings relate in particular to shortcomings in the recruitment of staff. Part of this could be that the dismissed lecturer is Tolino's husband.
However, Tolino's scientific qualifications are not in doubt, the statement continued. There are therefore no indications that would justify further measures.
Strong polarization
The administrative investigation found that there was a strong polarization and a deep human unease among employees at the institute. There were dependencies of employees on the institute's management, conflicts of interest and an excessively informal management style. It was particularly problematic that there was a blurring and unclear distinction between academic freedom and personal opinion, said Leumann.
However, the report also states that competitive scientific work was carried out at the ISNO. "The research work at the ISNO is internationally recognized and well-funded," according to the report, which was obtained by the Keystone-SDA news agency. The scientific approach enriches the intellectual landscape and makes an important educational contribution to society. "This scientific perspective must not be discredited as a whole due to undifferentiated, politically motivated considerations or possible individual misconduct," the report states.
"The university management has examined this report in detail and unanimously approved the measures," said Leumann. He expressed his conviction that this will enable the department to reposition itself.
©Keystone/SDA
German 
English 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic