University funding from fossil fuel companies

The request was successful.

Dear Ulster University,

I'm writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) to ask that you please disclose to me any funding received by your institution from and investment portfolios which include fossil fuel companies (oil, gas, coal) over the last calendar year.

In terms of investment portfolios, I'm aware that over 65% of higher education institutions are now pledging or have begun to divest, and that endowments will no longer be available to entities with interests in fossil fuels totalling more than £17.6bn for these corporations, as per this Guardian article from last month:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/20...

However, I'll also direct you to this previous article, from December last year, which highlights that over the last 4 years UK universities still accepted £89 million from oil firms, and so this number for the last calendar year (2021-22) would be the most important.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Although if you could, please feel free to expand upon the parameters established when answering this previous question (I believe the original research would have been conducted by opendemocracy) and supply the updated figures from 2017 through to now - as this would be important in understanding an increase or decrease. For example, Imperial College London were found to have accepted £54m overall from companies, including £39m from Shell, and I'd like to see if high-profile donations, grants, and research funding (specifically into climate research) are still ongoing and to what extent.

Previous reporting states that while the companies and amount given could be listed, and have been, some specifics are not available - the two examples listed are highlighted in the following paragraph:

'Imperial said the confidentiality of private contracts meant it could not reveal exactly what the money was used for, stating that it funded research into “energy transition, lowering carbon emissions in extraction and in carbon mitigation measures”.

Cambridge University received more than £14m from oil giants, while Oxford got almost £8m. These include large donations to Oxford’s Said Business School Centre for Corporate Reputation.'

Previously the companies specified were BP, Shell, Total, Equinor, Eni, Chevron, Exxon (ExxonMobil), and ConocoPhilip. I'd like to also include (for ease of looking up) BHP Group, Enbridge, Chesapeake Energy, Petrofac, and Glencore. This would include gifts, research funding, sponsorship and grants.

I'd also like to know if either JP Morgan or Blackrock (specifically) have given any money to anything related to energy or climate research to your organisation over the last 5 years please.

Yours faithfully,

Max Colbert
The Citizens

foi, Ulster University

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foi, Ulster University

Dear Max Colbert

 

We acknowledge receipt of your recent request under the provisions of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (ref FOIA/22/211) and we will endeavour to
respond within the statutory 20 working day time frame. 

 

Please be aware the University will be closed from 24 December 2022 – 02
January 2023 (inclusive).

 

Regards

 

Azlina Cohen

 

show quoted sections

Dear foi,

hi there, when is the revised date for response to this request please?

Yours sincerely,

Max Colbert
The Citizens

foi, Ulster University

Dear Max Colbert

 

RESPONSE FOIA/22/212

 

Further to your Freedom of Information request, please view Ulster
University’s response as follows –

 

I'm writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) to ask that
you please disclose to me any funding received by your institution from
and investment portfolios which include fossil fuel companies (oil, gas,
coal) over the last calendar year.

 

The University has received no gifts, research funding, sponsorship and
grants during the last calendar year from the fossil fuel companies listed
in the FOI: BP, Shell, Total, Equinor, Eni, Chevron, Exxon (ExxonMobil),
and ConocoPhilip BHP Group, Enbridge, Chesapeake Energy, Petrofac,
Glencore, JP Morgan or Blackrock

 

Also the University has received no gifts, research funding, sponsorship
and grants for the last five years 2017 – 2022 from the fossil fuel
companies listed in the FOI: BP, Shell, Total, Equinor, Eni, Chevron,
Exxon (ExxonMobil), and ConocoPhilip BHP Group, Enbridge, Chesapeake
Energy, Petrofac, Glencore, JP Morgan or Blackrock

 

If you are unhappy with how the University has dealt with your request you
may raise the matter under the University's internal review process for
FOI requests. Please submit written details of your appeal to Clare
Jamison, University Secretary, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA,
email at [1][email address] The University will normally
undertake to issue a decision on an appeal within 20 working days of
receipt.

 

If you do not wish to submit an appeal to the University in relation to
your request or if you are unhappy with the outcome of an appeal you may
apply to the Office of the Information Commissioner. Full particulars of
the FOI Act including the Information Commissioner's address may be found
at [2]www.ico.org.uk

 

Yours sincerely

 

Azlina Cohen

 

This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for
the use of the addressee and may contain information which is covered by
legal, professional or other privilege. If you have received this email in
error please notify the system manager at [email address] and
delete this email immediately. Any views or opinions expressed are solely
those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ulster
University.
The University's computer systems may be monitored and communications
carried out on them may be recorded to secure the effective operation of
the system and for other lawful purposes. Ulster University does not
guarantee that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or 100%
secure. Unless expressly stated in the body of a separate attachment, the
text of email is not intended to form a binding contract. Correspondence
to and from the University may be subject to requests for disclosure by
3rd parties under relevant legislation.
The Ulster University was founded by Royal Charter in 1984 and is
registered with company number RC000726 and VAT registered number
GB672390524.The primary contact address for Ulster University in Northern
Ireland is Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry BT52 1SA

References

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1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.ico.org.uk/