Summer

I travelled from Brussels to Canterbury to humanize the @bsis_sos cause and show that our institution is more than just figures of @UniKent’s financial mismanagement. Upon arrival, all I got were apathetic smiles and dismissive answers.

Many many years ago, I learnt Hebrew out of curiosity, and in a bid to penetrate into a world that I once thought was evil and conspiring against Arabs and Muslims. Once in, I was surprised how wrong I was, how wrong almost every Arab and Muslim around me was. These days, I watch Hebrew networks (and Arabic ones). There is a lot of Israeli pain over those who were killed on 10/7, agony of those who survived, and anxiety over those who are held hostage by Hamas. A lot of tears, now mixing with tears over fallen soldiers fighting in Gaza. The thing about all this Israeli pain is that it is almost exclusively in Hebrew. The world does not see Israelis hurt, does not hear them cry. The world sees Israel as fighter jets raining death to punish those who killed them from 15000 feet above ground. The world only sees and hears pain coming from Gaza, and the world always takes the side of the underdog, even when the underdog is guilty. One billion Muslims certainly have a much louder voice than 20 million Jews, and the world will always blame Israel, even when Palestinians started the carnage. And that's exactly why Israelis are fighting the fight of their lives. They understand that the world is an unfair place, and that they cannot rely on non-existent international justice or biased global opinion. I wish I had a magic wand to make fellow Arabs, and the rest of the world, see what I see. There will never be peace without justice, and using our numbers (Muslims) to impose our narrative is one way to try to beat Israel, but not the way to peace. My voice will dissent. I want peace, and peace is incumbent on winning the trust of those we want to live in peace with, not keeping on instigating the world against them.

@YGuichaoua It must have been the name randomizer wheel in your class that prepared me so well for public speaking 🫡

Who is accountable for this? "in its 2022 Annual Review it affirmed that there were 'adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future,' and in the past decade, it heavily increased salaries for the highest-paid staff. brusselstimes.com/448122/anger-a…

Brussels-based @UniKent students have said they have been left in the lurch by the university’s decision to suddenly close its satellite campus, a move they claimed was taken without any consultation, reports @benwupton timeshighereducation.com/news/kent-stud…

This goes beyond inflation, the ones to really blame for @KentBSIS closure are those at top management at @UniKent. They took an erratic decision instead of finding other ways to keep an excellent academic centre open.

Staff and students were told in a "cryptic email" that the school, with its campus in Etterbeek, would be fully closing in spring 2024. #Echobox=1681360513" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">brusselstimes.com/belgium/448122…

For those that speak french, @lesoir, one the the biggest Belgian Francophone newspapers has just published an article on @UniKent's terrible mismanagement of @KentBSIS closure. lesoir.be/506733/article…

⚠️ The students of @KentBSIS need a clear plan and answers on the closure of the Brussels campus from the @UniKent. You can learn more about our concerns and demands in the following article from @KentBylines kentbylines.co.uk/closure-of-bru…

@bsis_sos @KentBSIS @UniKent @BrusselsTimes

They say actions speak louder than words… but what did they say about monotonous stares?

We need @UniKent executive staff to know we are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet. We are an intellectual, talented community. We have been cheated & we demand attention to the issues that the abrupt closure of BSIS has caused. @timeshighered @KentUnion

@Elias_Dray @bsis_sos @YGuichaoua @KentBSIS @AmandaKvK @UniKent @timeshighered

Still so furious about this. @YGuichaoua was my professor at @KentBSIS and with other excellent pedagogues (@AmandaKvK) from BSIS he is being fired. Most shameful way to handle "rising costs" @UniKent. Teachers are NEVER a budget line, they're whom you owe your reputation to.

Yes, being ‘terminated’ feels bad. Witnessing my students being treated this way feels worse. But oh-my-god, does the way they react make my heart sing. Thoughts and prayers for University managers who got on the wrong side of @summerrfelsen and the @KentBSIS community.

🔴 My alma mater @KentBSIS is closing on the shortest notice after 24y in Brussels. ❗All uni staff and professors will be jobless in September. Current students are left in the wild. ❌ @UniKent gives 0 answers. This is an unacceptable situation! Share the word with @bsis_sos.

We sent a student to Canterbury on really short notice to deliver our statement, yet the admin from @UniKent has not yet bothered coming to Brussels to provide us with any info, plan or alternative strategies! (1/3)

@Kent_Online “loud and proud” graduates??? BSIS students are in no way proud of the financial incompetence of @UniKent administration, but you can bet we will be loud.

Such a shame. It's been running for 25 years buff.ly/3Um4At9

@bbsandals6 i hope your behavior has since changed. I fear for the students under your supervision.