We are writing this petition as former students of the Institute of Development Policy (IOB) at the University of Antwerp from Belgium. Our lives changed through the experience of studying at the IOB.  Beyond an academic education, this school taught us how to think critically, to ask questions before making assumptions, to appreciate the value of nuances in making breakthroughs in conflicts: all vital skills for the world of today. We know that we are not the only ones that feel like this.  

Most of our classmates came from the Global South, countries like Uganda, Ethiopia, Vietnam and Colombia. This helped to reshape our worldviews, expanding our perspectives in many ways. We left feeling immense pride to be part of a hub of knowledge that supported the education of bright minds from all corners of the world. All of that was made possible through funding from the Flemish government.

However, this institution that played such a pivotal role in the education and lives of so many is now under threat. The Flemish government has very suddenly decided to cut €2.6 million in funding to the IOB, leaving it with just three months of budget, effectively breaking the financial backbone of the school. The IOB has consistently been evaluated as excellent and there was no sign during the negotiations that this funding could be cut.  The situation puts at risk students who have made significant financial and family commitments to pursue their studies, particularly from the Global South.  

The decision of the Flemish government reflects a shortsighted, Trumpian approach that is blind to the long-term consequences for education, cultural exchange and the reputation of Flanders, Belgium and Europe on the global scene. For many years, the school has been a beacon of learning and an instrument of an informed and emotionally intelligent form of international relations, enriching Flanders and the world. It goes against the spirit of the government agreement which frames Flanders as an “internationally oriented region” that seeks to promote “an open view of the world from Flanders.”

The IOB is not just an academic institution; it offers support and equal opportunities to students from the Global South and Europe to learn and grow. In an increasingly unequal world, that is no small thing. It has played a major role in advancing development research and bringing mutual understanding between diverse cultures - our shared past, present and future - giving us a better chance of preventing all the wars and conflict we are currently so deeply bogged down in, even before they start. We will not sit by and watch an institution that has brought so much pride and educational achievement and richness to Flanders to be so simply and suddenly dismantled.

The Flemish government must reconsider this decision and continue funding the IOB.  It must engage with the Institute in good faith to find a way forward.   A decision to drop the cuts would represent a commitment to things that matter, like education, research and acknowledging the interdependence of humans and the importance of mutual understanding.

We urge all those who have directly benefited from the IOB, AND anyone who values education, educational excellence to stand together against this decision.

Join us to reverse the Trumpian funding cuts and preserve the Institute of Development Policy at the University of Antwerp. 

Sign this petition to ensure that education and global understanding remain a priority.