QUBSU

The Union of Students in Ireland praised Fossil Free QUB for reaching an agreement with Queens University and securing a review of policy changes. Students who have been occupying part of Queen’s University Belfast’s administration building, calling for the university to sell shares it holds in fossil fuel firms, have agreed to end their sit-in after they reached an agreement with the university.

A joint statement by the university and Queen’s Students’ Union said ‘Fossil Free QUB’ had agreed to the move after a “constructive meeting” with senior management when Queen’s University said they would undertake a comprehensive review of its investment policy.

“The Union of Students in Ireland would like to congratulate Fossil Free QUB,” Kevin Donoghue, USI president, said, “They’ve demonstrated that a positive outcome can be achieved in a peaceful, direct and strong manner. What they were protesting against wasn’t just an education or an environmental issue. It was about preserving the health, investments, weather and wellbeing of generations to come, because climate change has a knock on affect on so many other areas. I would particularly like to commend the efforts of the students and QUB Students Union which lead to this result.”

The joint statement said a timetable for completion of the review had been agreed, with recommendations on any proposed policy changes scheduled to come to the university senate on 21 June 2016. It also highlighted that the objective of the review was to ensure that the university’s investment policy is aligned with best practice in the area of “socially responsible investment” and with the university’s vision.

Students had been occupying part of the administration building for six days.