Cambridge University’s Judge business school is pursuing an agreement to provide leadership development and innovation management training to Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry. This move has raised concerns among senior academics due to the Saudi government’s record on human rights and climate change.
Cambridge University’s Proposed Agreement with Saudi Defence Ministry
The university’s leadership has approved a proposal by the Judge business school to form a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Saudi defence ministry. This follows an initial introduction facilitated by the UK’s Ministry of Defence. The proposed agreement aims to set preliminary goals and terms for potential collaborations focused on executive education, innovation management, leadership development, and healthcare administration strategies. The collaboration would work exclusively with the civilian administration of the Saudi defence ministry.
Despite the approval, the university’s press office declined to comment directly and referred inquiries to the business school. A spokesperson for the Judge business school stated that no MoU has yet been signed with the Saudi defence ministry. However, officials from the business school informed Cambridge’s committee on benefactions and external and legal affairs that they were requesting permission to enter into such an agreement.
Concerns Raised by Academics and University Committees
The benefactions committee, chaired by Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice, approved the request by majority vote during a meeting in January. The committee noted that while the agreement would be acceptable in principle, it required consultation on individual contracts. Confidential minutes revealed concerns about the Saudi government’s human rights record, climate change policies, and the university’s ability to maintain academic freedom for its staff.
Senior academics described the proposal as “horrifying” and a betrayal of Cambridge University’s commitments to freedom of expression and non-discrimination. One senior academic expressed strong opposition, highlighting the risks faced by academics in Saudi Arabia, where dissent can lead to arbitrary imprisonment or worse.
The proposal has also drawn criticism due to the Saudi defence ministry’s involvement in regional conflicts, including in Iran and Yemen. The Judge business school’s executive MBA programs, which charge tuition fees of up to £107,000, are part of the broader context of consultancy and training services UK universities provide to foreign governments.
University Governance and Student Reactions
David Whitaker, director of alumni relations and external engagement at the Judge business school, told the benefactions committee that the proposal aligned with the university’s mission to benefit society through education and was strategically aligned with UK government interests. The committee was informed that strong mitigations were planned to protect against reputational risk, including limiting the scope to civilian administration and potentially contracting with the Saudi Institute of Public Administration rather than the defence ministry directly.
However, some members of the university community remain deeply concerned. Darragh O’Reilly, a student representative on the university’s governing council, criticized the decision as a serious error of judgment. He warned that the university’s governance and accountability mechanisms are under strain, with an uncomfortable atmosphere in council meetings and a risk to the university’s democratic processes.
