Ministry and Universities Denmark have created an anti-harassment policy: “There is a limit to what we will tolerate at Danish universities”
With four shared principles for an anti-harassment policy at the country's universities, the Ministry of Higher Education and Science aims to emphasise that harassment, insecurity, and intimidating behaviour have no place at universities, explains minister Christina Egelund.
Disclaimer: This text was translated using machine translation / AI and post-edited by Maria Nielsen Pedersen
“No issue or agenda justifies harassment, bullying, intimidating behaviour, or vandalism.”
This is what AU rector and chair of Universities Denmark, Brian Bech Nielsen, stated in a press release from the Ministry of Higher Education and Science after the ministry announced the anti-harassment policy on Wednesday, which minister Christina Egelund (M) had announced earlier this month.
The anti-harassment policy comes in the wake of pro-Palestinian actions over the past year by students at Danish universities, including the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and Roskilde University (RUC). In several cases, the universities had to involve the police, which has led to insecurity, especially for Jewish students. A Jewish student at RUC has reported that he has withdrawn from the university because he feels unsafe.
In the new policy, the ministry and Universities Denmark have outlined what they describe as four shared principles. It states, among other things, that “all political expressions must be conducted with respect for other students and staff and comply with the institution's code of conduct and the country's acts,” and that “everyone should feel safe at the university and participate in classes regardless of their background or political beliefs.”
“It is completely natural and acceptable for students to engage and actively involve themselves in political agendas, but it should never be at the expense of others' ability to complete their studies. Unfortunately, we have seen several examples of this over the past year,” states Christina Egelund in the press release:
“That's why I'm pleased that we can now send a clear and unambiguous message that harassment, insecurity, and intimidating behaviour have no place at Danish universities. There should be no doubt about that. With this declaration, I hope to raise awareness about making space and showing respect for each other – no matter how much you disagree on a particular political issue. If you don't, we will also show that there is a limit to what we will tolerate at Danish universities.”
Anti-harassment policy with four principles:
1. All political expressions must be conducted with respect for other students and staff and comply with the institution's code of conduct and the country's acts. No issue or agenda justifies harassment, bullying, intimidating behaviour, or vandalism.
2. Everyone should feel safe at the university and be able to participate in classes regardless of their background or political beliefs. It is important to pay special attention to groups that may be personally affected by current political discussions or conflicts.
3. There should be clear channels for students to safely report harassment, bullying, or intimidating behaviour.
4. The university must establish a code of conduct that defines the framework for the basis and process of addressing any violations.
Source: Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Universities Denmark
“The code of conduct must be respected”
Brian Bech Nielsen states in the press release that “freedom of speech is a central part of the universities' DNA,” but it is also expected that “the code of conduct is respected.”
Earlier this month, he referred to Aarhus University's code of conduct when Omnibus highlighted Christina Egelund's statements about her changing stance on what's acceptable to say and do at a university.
The AU rector, along with professor of political science, Rune Stubager, pointed out that the university already has a code of conduct which, among other things, requires students to behave properly and respectfully. Violations of the code can result in disciplinary action, expulsion, and criminal charges, depending on their severity. Rune Stubager was puzzled by the minister's change in stance, pointing out that “it has never been acceptable to harass fellow students under the guise of freedom of speech.”
Neither Brian Bech Nielsen nor Christina Egelund were available for a comment on the new policy for this article. Therefore, it was not possible to get their insights on what difference they believe the anti-harassment policy can make and exactly how it differs from existing rules and acts.
Jewish Youth proposed anti-harassment policy
The anti-harassment policy was developed by Universities Denmark and the ministry following discussions with Jewish Youth. Representatives from Jewish Youth met with both Universities Denmark and the ministry in November to discuss the current situation for Jewish students in Denmark. On 14 November, Christina Egelund thanked the organisation for their “concrete and good suggestions on how we can improve. We will continue to work on them.”
One of the proposals from Jewish Youth specifically called for an anti-harassment policy:
“Establish a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and antisemitism with clear consequences for violations. Provide clear guidelines on unacceptable behaviour and ensure transparent enforcement to protect students and maintain campus safety”, as stated in one of the six points Jewish Youth urged the ministry to act on.