The US Embassy has sent a diversity policy questionnaire to universities in Flanders, Flemish Education Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) announced on Thursday in the Flemish Parliament.
Her office later clarified, however, that the questionnaire sometimes reached university researchers inadvertently, and was not sent directly to the universities.
According to MP Brecht Warnez (CD&V), this move aligns with the Trump administration’s policy of pressuring educational institutions and companies committed to inclusion.
It had previously been revealed that European companies, including some Belgian ones, were contacted by US authorities regarding any anti-discrimination programmes.
The survey sent to Flemish universities contains questions about “international connections, risk management, diversity programmes, and free speech policy," said parliamentarian Brecht Warnez. However the exact number of recipients is unknown.
Belga News Agency reviewed the questionnaire, noting that the questions go beyond politics. Universities are asked if their projects lack diversity, equity, or inclusion elements, whether they support climate justice, and their links with countries like China, Russia, Iran, or Cuba. They must also state their distance from communist or anti-US ideologies.
Questions concerning women’s rights ask institutions to confirm that their projects protect women against “gender ideology.” Trump-era policies also prompt questions on promoting “patriotic values,” respect for national sovereignty, and limiting migration.
Some surprising inquiries include whether institutions are involved in the influx of synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, into the US, and their anti-terrorism measures.
Education Minister Zuhal Demir acknowledged the questionnaire’s existence. “While there remains ambiguity about the questionnaire’s nature and consequences, it’s clear that our institutions' standards and values should not be influenced from abroad,” she said.
The minister said she has discussed the issue with Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele, given his responsibilities in the areas of foreign policy and research. A meeting has already been held between the Flemish Foreign Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Flanders Investment & Trade, and the US Embassy regarding the questionnaire.
An inter-ministerial meeting on broader US relations is planned for this week, Demir stated, labelling any foreign interference as “unacceptable.”
“We never tolerated this with a leader like (Turkish Priesident) Recep Tayyib Erdoğan,” she said. “Our universities are symbols of freedom of thought. Even in difficult times, we must uphold this message in a democracy.”
