Sussex University To Twin with Al-Quds Open University in Tubas/Palestine

Last week (from 31st May - 1st June), in a referendum on whether University of Sussex Students' Union (USSU) should twin with the Tubas Study Centre of Al-Quds Open University in occupied Palestine, students voted overwhelmingly in support of the motion.

The referendum was called in response to a student petition and as part of the ongoing Universities of Resistance project, following the recent Sussex delegation to the West Bank during the Easter holidays, which included USSU President Dan Glass. Before and during the referendum, students engaged in vigorous debate on issues surrounding the selection of partner university, including concerns about the politicisation of education and the possibility of appearing to 'take sides' in what is for many a complex and emotive topic.

Overall 911 votes were cast, and of these 759 voted in favour of the motion. The decision has yet to be ratified by USSU Council, but nevertheless represents a strong affirmation of Sussex students' desire to give practical solidarity to fellow students under an oppressive regime that severely restricts their educational opportunities.

Al-Quds Open University was established in the 1980s, in response to pressures faced by students and lecturers trying to attend university despite the restrictions and social disruption caused by the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. It currently serves around 57,000 students overall, with a higher than average proportion of female students, married or working students, and students who have been imprisoned or detained by the Israeli regime (currently around ten per cent of students in Tubas are illegally imprisoned by the Israeli authorities). When we met with students in the Tubas Study Centre, they said their main problems were the army checkpoints all over the West Bank making movement difficult or altogether impossible, and arbitrary arrest and detention.

The twinning project is to include a scholarship programme comparable to the existing Mandela Fund for South African students, as well as regular student delegations from each university, cultural and informational exchanges, volunteer projects, and links between students made via the internet and letter-writing.

This complements current efforts to twin Brighton with the Palestinian town of Tubas - for more information on this contact tubas@brightonpalestine.org or Tom Hayes at thewallmustfall@riseup.net

To view the campaign's website and view the campaign's publicity material and further links, visit www.universitiesofresistance.tk

To view Al-Quds Open University's website, visit www.qou.edu/englishIndexPage.do

And for more information on the referendum contact USSU President Dan Glass at president@ussu.sussex.ac.uk