The matter in summary: Professor emeritus at UiT, Ivar Bjørklund, has received criticism after attending events in Russia together with Professor Urban Wråkberg and Ap politician Remi Strand. The university claims they had no knowledge of the trip, and considers the activities to be more extensive than a private trip. Diplomacy researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Iver B. Neumann, believes the trip can help to legitimize Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Bjørklund claims the trip was a private trip, and that he contacted the university beforehand without getting a reply. As a result of the trip, the university has created a personnel file, to which Bjørklund reacts strongly. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – I thought this was completely unproblematic. But it turned out that the media didn’t think so. This is what professor emeritus at UiT – Norway’s Arctic University, Ivar Bjørklund, says to news. In the last few days it has been stormy around Bjørklund. This after he, Professor Urban Wråkberg and Ap politician Remi Strand participated in several events in Russia in June. Bjørklund and Wråkberg’s journey was carried out without the university’s knowledge of the journey, UiT claims. – Regarding the trip to Russia, we consider the scope of the activities, and the type of events they participated in, to be more extensive than what can be defined as a private trip, Jan-Gunnar Winther, vice-rector for research and development at UiT, stated to news Tuesday. On Wednesday, Bjørklund maintains that the trip was a private trip, and believes it had nothing to do with UiT. Legitimates the Ukraine war Diplomacy researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Iver B. Neumann, is among those who react strongly to the researchers’ trip to Russia. He believes that Russia has a clear desire to appear normal, including by “decorating” its events with foreign scientists. – In that way, you are helping to legitimize what Russia is doing in Ukraine by leaving, he says. CRITICAL: I would not have left, says Iver B. Neumann. Photo: Lars Os / news He emphasizes that dialogue with the Russians is important, but that the balance, seen in light of the situation that has arisen after the Ukraine war, is not easy. – I’m not ready to condemn anyone for leaving, but I wouldn’t want to leave, he continues. news has submitted Neumann’s criticism to Bjørklund and Wråkberg. So far, no one has wanted to respond to the criticism. Wråkberg has also not wanted to be interviewed about the matter. Bjørklund emphasizes on Wednesday that he fully sympathizes with the Norwegian anger towards Russian warfare. Possible violation of the guidelines Bjørklund himself claims that, ahead of the controversial trip to Russia, he contacted the university, but without receiving any response from them. As a result, he contacted the embassy in Russia, which allegedly, according to Bjørklund himself, had no reservations about the trip. Winther says that Bjørklund made contact ahead of the trip, but that this did not happen with the immediate manager. – It is absolutely correct that Bjørklund has made internal inquiries, so we have great understanding that he has done that. It has been important for us, with these guidelines, to emphasize that one should relate to the immediate manager, says Winther. He justifies this by the fact that the cases are “complex and complicated”. – We want to look after the individual employee when making assessments of, for example, a trip to Russia. REFUSAL: If Bjørklund and Wråkberg had asked the management at UiT to participate, UiT would have refused, says vice-chancellor Jan-Gunnar Winther. Photo: Arne Egil Tønset / news The vice-chancellor himself believes that the university’s guidelines are clear, in the sense that in case of doubt one should turn to the immediate manager. He nevertheless takes into account that the information may not have reached all employees. Winther emphasizes that the university is concerned with looking after the employees. – UiT does not control the researchers, and we have not placed any restrictions on academic freedom of expression. – Absolutely beyond! As a result of the trip to Russia, which Winther was clear they would advise against, the university has opened a personnel file. Depending on what emerges in the case, there may be a reaction from the university. When asked whether the trip will have consequences for the retired professor Bjørklund, Winther replies: – I cannot comment on that today. We are surveying the facts in the case, and we must also come back to a possible reaction to what has happened. Bjørklund himself reacts strongly to the fact that the university has opened a case, and strongly opposes the opening of a case against Wråkberg. – He was on holiday and strolled around the streets of Arkhangelsk for three days and returned home. The university will open a case on that. It is completely beyond! NOT BLACK: news has repeatedly tried to get Professor Urban Wråkberg to speak. He has so far not answered news’s inquiry about the trip to Russia. Photo: UiT Propaganda On Tuesday, senior adviser to the Helsinki Committee, Aage Borchgrevink, pointed out that in Russia there is an attempt to restore a “totalitarian state where propaganda permeates everything”. This is like when President Vladimir Putin was young. – This is a state-supported programme, which is intended to build up a state ideology, that Russia is something separate and magnificent. That is the justification for the war in Ukraine now, which is characterized by gross crimes and features of genocide, he said, before continuing: – That some Norwegian academics and civil society want to raise this now, I therefore find it very strange. RART: Senior advisor in the Helsinki Committee, Aage Borchgrevink, questions Norwegian researchers standing up as Wråkberg and Bjørklund have done. Photo: Tom Balgaard / news When asked what he himself thinks about the claims that have been made that the visit can be used in propaganda, Bjørklund replies: – It is repeated by many of the pundits who claim that. And news, not least. – The truth is that nobody really cared about it here in Russia. I sat with 27 listeners in that tent. Published 10.07.2024, at 15.00 Updated 10.07.2024, at 16.04
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UiT professor Ivar Bjørklund reacts to criticism after traveling to Russia – news Troms and Finnmark
