Following is a statement by the Board of Directors of the Association of American Universities on proposals for academic boycotts of academic institutions operating in other nations.
As articulated in its “AAU Statement on Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions,” of December 2013, the Board of Directors of the Association of American Universities reaffirms its statement of principle and continues to oppose boycotts of academic institutions based upon disagreement with policies of their governments.
Scholarly exchange with institutions and scholars around the globe promotes the production and dissemination of knowledge. Engagement with scholars as well as academic institutions is critical to the advancement of human knowledge and should not be abridged solely on the basis of whether one likes or dislikes the policies of the government where an academic institution is located. It is this scholarly engagement which underpins academic freedom, a fundamental principle of AAU universities and of American higher education in general.
Of course where federal law restricts or prohibits engagement with particular universities or institutes, we are committed to compliance. Whenever legally permissible, however, scholarly exchange should not be banned or restricted simply because of political disagreements with the nation in which universities and scholars are based.