Exclusive: Cambridge University backtracks on divesting from arms companies

Exclusive: Cambridge University backtracks on divesting from arms companies Imran Mulla University investment body quietly shelved plan for at least partial divestment from weapons companies, sources say Students gather around their tents during a protest organised by Cambridge for Palestine, Cambridge University, Cambridge, eastern England, 7 May 2024 (AFP) The University of Cambridge has backtracked on a move towards divesting from all weapons companies, Middle East Eye can reveal. According to documents seen by MEE, on 16 April the University Council, Cambridge's central governing body, approved the introduction of a "monitoring regime" for investments in "conventional weapons". This monitoring regime was proposed by the Cambridge University Endowment Trustee Body (CUETB), which oversees the university's investments, and would track the endowment fund's "exposure to companies which primarily manufacture conventional weapons", according to the Council. If the fund's exposure to weapons companies was to exceed "a certain threshold as a proportion of its assets", discussions "would then be initiated with UCIM [University of Cambridge Investment Management Limited, which runs the endowment fund] as to how to manage a reduction in exposure of the [fund] in this category in due course." This came in response to a report by a working group on investments that the university established in 2024, due to a student encampment organised by Cambridge for Palestine. middleeasteye.net Exclusive: Cambridge put £140m in fund with stakes in firms linked to Israeli abuses Documents also showed that in July 2026, the Cambridge University Endowment Trustee Body agreed to set the threshold for arms investments at zero percent under the monitoring regime. This unprecedented development would mean that any exposure at all to arms companies would automatically require discussions to be opened on "a reduction in exposure". It appeared to signal at least partial, if not full, divestment from weapons companies. However, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter told MEE that the university has quietly replaced the plan introduced in April with another that no longer requires divestment. According to the new plan, the zero percent monitoring threshold will remain in place but the "action plan" in response to exposure to conventional weapons would not need to lead to a reduction in exposure. MEE understands that this new decision, which has not been publicised, was made by the endowment trustee body but has not been put to the University Council. Some council members said they were not informed of the change. It is unclear when the decision was made and the university did not respond to multiple requests for comment. 'Maximal obfuscation' A spokesperson for Cambridge for Palestine told MEE that the group was "shocked, but not surprised, to learn that the university has once again backtracked on one of its commitments to our demands