There is no need to shake hands with foreign students — that’s Cambridge University’s latest advice to its academics.
In its directive, the UK-based world’s renowned institution has cautioned all its academics against automatically shaking their hands with foreign students in case it causes offence, The Daily Telegraph reported.
The varsity has sent out the directive to its admission tutors explaining that some people are culturally sensitive to the traditional style of greeting. It advises that “suitable body language conveys welcome just as well’’.
Academics were sent an alert advising them to read the instructions. Under the headline: ‘Welcoming the Applicant’, the instructions add: “There is a certain amount of cultural sensitivity relating to handshakes. Suitable body language conveys welcome just as well.”
However, the directive sent out by the university’s Admissions Office has caused anger and consternation among the dons who say it is treating them like “social misfits’’.
“This is ridiculous. It would be obvious if someone objected to handshakes and we would know what to do. We don’t need instructions,” an academic was quoted by the British newspaper as saying.
But, the university’s press office said the instructions applied to Muslim women and certain people with disabilities.
“It is not banning handshakes, it is just saying that best practice in some cases such as Muslim women who do not want to shake hands and certain people with disabilities. Dons should read the situation properly and bear in mind that not all people want to shake hands,” a spokesman said.