Dutch university criticised for repressing own magazine’s article

Story about departmental management was removed following pressure from Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology has been heavily criticised for pushing its own magazine to retract an article about the university’s department of innovation and impact. The article reported claims about “turmoil within the I&IC management”, according to a later statement from the university.

In a statement, the magazine—known as Delta—detailed its version of events. “On behalf of [a] director mentioned in the story, a law firm ordered Delta to remove this article. If not, a complaint would follow for libel or slander,” Delta said. It added that the university’s own legal department then told the magazine that it also wanted the article removed from Delta’s website and that it “would hold Delta and the editor-in-chief personally liable for any damage” that the institution would suffer if the article was not deleted.