Last week, the EKA director of studies informed students that the second half of a workshop scheduled for February and to be given by Jonathan Ventura, an associate professor at Shenkar College in Tel Aviv, Israel, had been canceled, in line with a university decision to end cooperation with all Israeli higher education institutions.

Outgoing EKA rector Mart Kalm confirmed the decision and its rationale, saying: "It has appeared to be wiser for us to refrain from this at the moment."

"We have had correspondence with Israeli schools on the matter, and they have expressed their understanding," Kalm went on.

"Israeli universities know the prevailing sentiments, so this was not a surprise to them," he added, noting that the decision aligned with prevailing trends in Europe.

"Most art universities in Europe have done the same," Kalm added, and said that in any case, Shenkar College was the only Israeli university with which EKA had dealings. Contracts with other Israeli higher education institutions had expired during the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

Kalm said the decision was made in collaboration between various EKA departments, as there were no direct administrative guidelines for this situation.

A doctoral student who Eesti Ekspress spoke to and who had attended the first half of Ventura's workshop in November reported that it had included a brief explanation of the situation in Israel at that point in time and presented from a neutral standpoint, while the workshop itself proceeded calmly and professionally.

Ventura mentioned he was also anxious to avoid a repeat of tensions he had encountered at other higher education institutions in Switzerland.

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