Durham University’s £2.5m Kuwaiti gift ‘astonishing’, says Conservative MP

Durham University’s decision to accept a £2.5 million endowment from a former Kuwaiti Prime Minister who resigned in a corruption row last year is “astonishing”, Conservative MP Robert Halfon said.

Mr Halfon, who has campaigned heavily on foreign university donations and has previously criticised Durham for accepting a donation from the Iranian government, made the comments on Friday after the university launched a new postgraduate research programme funded by former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah’s grant.

“Given that this individual has allegedly been involved in these controversies it is astonishing that Durham have taken money once again from controversial sources in the Middle East,” he said.

“Time and again British universities are taking millions from questionable regimes or individuals in the Middle East. There are many decent countries where they could go for money.”

Mr Halfon described Kuwait as a country which “we cannot consider to be democratic or tolerant” and “does not respect equality rights for women, property rights or the rule of law”.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah, who attended the new academic programme’s launch at Durham University in person last month, pledged the £2.5 million donation in April 2011. Seven months later he stepped down as Prime Minister following mass protests over allegations that his government had illegally appropriated state funds.

Sheikh Nasser was cleared of the allegations by a judicial tribunal in May of this year, but subsequently refused to appear before a parliamentary panel probe into the matter on constitutional grounds.

Durham University would not comment directly on the decision to proceed with the endowment despite the former Prime Minister’s resignation, but reissued a statement made last year in relation to an earlier set of charges Sheikh Nasser had faced while still in government.

“The University conducted a detailed process of due diligence before finalising its acceptance of this gift,” the statement said. “We are aware that His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al Sabah has previously faced charges brought by opposition MPs in the Kuwait Parliament and that he was able to satisfy his Parliament on that issue. Kuwait is one of the more open and progressive societies in the Middle East.”

“Our position has not changed,” added a spokesperson on Friday.

However, a leading foreign policy think tank criticised the institution’s reluctance to rethink their policy.

“Durham University should feel obliged to reject any donations from leaders who have been implicated in scandals,” said Raheem Kassam of the Henry Jackson Society. “There’s a level of culpability they have taken on – they are implicating themselves in the situation.”

He added: “Durham should question whether it is ethical and whether it ties in to their commitments. They should explain what their policy is regarding moral standards in education. Students will be up in arms about this.”

The programme, which focuses on security and international affairs in the Middle East, will recruit one doctoral student per year, with recipients alternating between Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti students.

Sheikh Nasser, who is the nephew of the Emir of Kuwait, was also one of the controversial guests invited to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee lunch in May of this year. His son Sabah is an alumnus of Durham University.

Professor Anoush Ehteshami, who will direct the programme, said at the launch earlier this month: “For me personally having His Highness [Sheikh Nasser] here was a tremendous honour, because he is an international statesman and lives a very, very busy life.

“For him to have given so much time aside not only to take interest in the programme and its work but also to take the trouble of coming here with his entourage, his advisers, to if you like bless the whole launch was an immense honour.”

Last year LSE Director Sir Howard Davies resigned citing “errors of judgment” after the London university accepted a donation from Saif al-Islam, the son of former Libyan ruler Col Gaddafi.

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