Since 1 June 2022, VUB has been committed to using human rights as a touchstone in its collaborations with partners. It is one of the points VUB proudly mentions in its Report to Society. Jacqueline Couder, director of the VUB International Relations Office, thinks this is a good – and self-evident – step.
What is the human rights test?
VUB staff wishing to enter into a contract with an external partner are asked to assess whether their cooperation activities entail ethical or legal obligations, particularly with regard to human rights or possible military applications. To facilitate this evaluation, VUB has prepared a checklist. If there is any doubt or potential conflict, they should request an evaluation from the Contact Point for Ethics and International Cooperation, who will advise whether formal ethical approval or other measures are needed.
This is done through a green, amber or red light. Green means no problem. Orange means ethical approval is needed from either the Ethics Commission on Dual Use, Military Use and Abuse or the Ethics and International Cooperation Reflection Group or, in case of dispute, from the Ethics Group. Red means the project will not go ahead. This may be for a variety of reasons e.g. known human rights violations or embargoes, as the VLIR has pronounced on Iran.
In every agreement signed by VUB, we recommend a clause on human rights. This clause is available and legally checked and enables us to terminate the contract early if human rights violations are found.
What does the human rights test mean for international scientific collaborations?
First of all, I would like to reiterate that the human rights test covers all contracts, except those that do not allow for negotiation such as grant agreements of European-funded projects. So it also applies to contracts concluded as a follow-up to a public tender, such as supply of food to the restaurant or contracts with contractors.
International scientific cooperation has received more ethical and legal attention in recent years. On the one hand, the current geopolitical situation has led to more attention to possible military applications of research results. On the other hand, more attention has been paid to the role of non-state actors in promoting human rights, or at least in preventing human rights violations.
In most cases, activities that fall within the scope of the checklist will be able to go ahead. For possible military use, there is legal regulation. It is essential for the scientist to complete the checklist as a first step in the evaluation in a timely manner to ensure that projects can proceed smoothly.
Has it already had consequences?
To date, since the roll-out of the human rights test, every international partner with whom a contract has been signed has accepted the new article. I suspect that agreements are still being concluded without the mention of respecting human rights. It always takes a while for something to become ingrained. The ethics check, on the other hand, is carried out systematically which, after all, is the most important thing. But there will be another broad communication about the human rights check at the start of the new academic year.
When is the human rights test applied?
- Only for formal activities signed by the university as an institution, either by the central services or by one of the departments, such as faculties or research groups on the basis of assigned authorisation of signing rights.
- The ethics checklist, a tool to carry out the first step of the human rights test, applies to new cooperations and to renewals of ongoing cooperations. The ethics check is a two-step procedure consisting of a screening (self-assessment) and, in the case of doubt, the scoping and decision, conducted by the Contact Point for Ethics and International Cooperation.
- It applies to cooperations between the university and external partners. These can be other universities or partners such as companies, government organisations or NGOs.
- The checklist applies to national and international cooperations.
- The checklist applies to activities that are part of universities’ core activities, i.e. research, teaching and service provision.