In a groundbreaking move, the University of Cambridge has announced its decision to divest from companies involved in the production of ‘controversial weapons.’ This decision follows the publication of a landmark report that scrutinized the university’s ties to the arms industry. The report, unanimously approved by the University Council, calls for the divestment of the university’s £4.2 billion ($5.62 billion) endowment fund from any company manufacturing weapons deemed illegal under UK law, regardless of their legality elsewhere. This includes chemical and biological weapons, as well as cluster munitions. The council has adopted this as policy and is set to vote on November 20 on whether to extend this divestment to all arms manufacturers. The announcement comes after years of student-led pro-Palestine protests and follows King’s College’s decision to divest from the arms industry and companies complicit in the occupation of Ukraine and Palestinian territories. The report highlighted the challenges posed by the secrecy surrounding Cambridge’s investments, noting that the lack of transparency has fueled suspicions about the extent of the university’s investments in arms manufacturers. The report presented three options: complete divestment, maintaining the status quo, or capping investments in conventional weapons at one percent. Cambridge for Palestine (C4P), a group that has organized protests and encampments, hailed the development as a ‘forced reckoning,’ emphasizing that the university has been compelled to consider complete divestment as a legitimate option. The Cambridge Students’ Union has also backed full divestment from the arms industry. Professor Graham Virgo, chair of the working group that conducted the review, acknowledged the thorough and thoughtful process that led to the report, thanking all contributors. Cambridge University, composed of 31 self-governing colleges, operates autonomously in its financial investments. King’s College, founded in 1441, announced in May that it would exclude companies involved in illegal activities or the production of military and nuclear weapons from its investments by the end of 2025. As of March 2023, the college had £2.2 million ($2.94 million) invested in arms companies, including Lockheed Martin, Korea Aerospace, and BAE Systems. Trinity College, the university’s wealthiest, faced protests over its investments in Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms company. Despite student reports of divestment, the college has refused to comment on its investments, and freedom of information requests revealed continued investments in arms companies.