Flemish justice minister Zuhal Demir (nationalist) has cancelled subsidies to Leuven University worth 1.4 million euros. The minister wants the university to provide further clarification with regard to a rape case in which a professor in pedagogy was convicted.
Media reports suggested the university was made aware of the rape of a student by a pedagogy professor in 2016 but failed to act. A judicial complaint was made in 2018 and the university was informed but the lecturer was allowed to continue in the job for several months and was awarded a prize.
The justice minister has now asked the university who was informed about the case and when. She says that it’s unacceptable that the university didn’t react if it had been aware of the case for any long length of time.
Subsidies from the tourism budget intended to pay for work on buildings to mark the 600th anniversary of the university have been cancelled.
Ms Demir is disappointed the university authorities have failed to respond to her questions now and says the university – her alma mater - should have immediately condemned the rape.
“You can’t stand at the front of the queue for Flemish subsidies but hide when it comes to assuming your social responsibilities”.
In a post on Twitter the head of Leuven University, Rector Luc Sels, notes that a court in Tongeren sentenced the professor to 54 months in jail and ordered him to pay compensation worth 27,014 euros.