Academic Freedom Under Threat

Academic Freedom Under Threat

The Critical Importance of Academic Freedom

Protecting academic freedom enables the realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, contributing to progress across the entire SDG agenda.

Sometimes dismissed as merely the whining of elites, academic freedom is actually fundamental to the right to education, the pursuit of knowledge and societal progress, and the functioning of a democratic society. Academic freedom is a condition for quality education which can only be enjoyed if accompanied by the critical thinking of staff and students. It also drives scientific progress and benefits society by allowing researchers and students to question and test received knowledge and propose new knowledge that can begin to address social, economic and environmental crises. Education, underpinned by academic freedom, empowers people to reach their fullest potential as individuals, community members and citizens through meaningful social, cultural, economic, and political participation.

Academic freedom is the freedom to access, disseminate, and produce information, to think freely, to develop, express, apply, and engage with a diversity of knowledge within or related to one’s own expertise or field of study, regardless of whether it takes place inside or outside the academic community. Academic freedom is about creating and disseminating knowledge, and we must not politicize its exercise. Its curtailment seriously threatens both democracy and our capacity to collectively respond to crises facing humanity.

Farida Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, 2024 Human Rights Council

Restricting academic freedom thus undermines the right to education, and also the freedom of inquiry and freedom of expression required by vibrant open and democratic societies. As well as being a human right, academic freedom carries with it responsibilities to study questions that respond to contemporary problems and needs of all members of society, and to support public understanding and decision-making by sharing information according to ethical and professional standards.

Nevertheless, the 2024 report by the UN Special Rapporteur argues that the core components of academic freedom—teaching, discussion, research, and dissemination—are under threat worldwide, documenting mounting attacks on academic freedom through governmental restrictions, privatization and private sector managerial practices (framed as metrics of excellence), as well as through educational, research and teaching institutions themselves, including school and university boards, staff, parents’ associations, and students. The threats of and documented restrictions and violations of academic freedom have far-reaching consequences that extend well beyond the individual experiences of academics. In addition to being a human right for all researchers, educators and students at all levels of education, academic freedom benefits society as a whole, not just the interests of academics. Threats to academic freedom are often aimed at controlling public opinion and restricting academic and scientific debate that might identify novel problems to address or innovative solutions to them.

NORRAG’s academic freedom initiative recognizes that in an increasingly polarised and rapidly changing world, the ability of education institutions and their personnel to engage in unfettered learning, teaching, and research is paramount. It aims to contribute to creating more inclusive, equitable, and relevant education systems that empower individuals to reach their full potential. Academic freedom is a cornerstone of quality education (SDG 4), fostering critical thinking, innovation, and the pursuit of knowledge. Furthermore, academic freedom is essential for promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, enabling researchers and educators to address pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. We draw on NORRAG’s strengths in surfacing under-represented expertise to bring marginalised and intersectoral perspectives to the debate.

Interconnected Academic Freedom Activities

In response to these challenges, NORRAG, alongside other regional initiatives,  will support stakeholders to contribute to research, knowledge, and evidence efforts aimed at supporting academic freedom and stimulating evidence-informed action to address threats to academic freedom through four interconnected activities. The initiative will support inter-disciplinary and multisectoral collaboration and co-production of knowledge through focused discussions and publications assessing the threats and proposing policy, institutional and governance innovations to address them. By mobilising multi-disciplinary knowledge and engaging marginalised as well as established experts, NORRAG’s Academic Freedom initiative aims to provide critical insights for transforming the landscape of education to safeguard the principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy.

 Academic Freedom Fellows in Europe Initiative

Application deadline: July 3rd, 2025

NORRAG’s Academic Freedom Fellow in Europe initiative seeks to complement established initiatives in Africa, Asia, Latin America and South-East Asia. This Fellows Initiative will, in the same way as in the other regions, support critical research, foster dialogue, and promote the defence of academic freedom.

Survey: Current Needs and Horizon Scanning

The purpose of the survey is to understand the experiences, views, and characteristics of faculty at colleges and universities related to aspects of academic freedom, freedom of expression, and civil discourse. We will repurpose a recent survey designed and deployed in the USA, and adapt it to European social and political landscapes. We will also add a horizon scanning component, using an established method to identify, sort and prioritise information to identify and address future threats as well as existing gaps in research, policy and practice. By providing rigorous data on the perspectives of faculty, adjuncts, students and other education stakeholders, their perceptions of institutional and external pressure, and experiences with self-censorship, the survey will inform conversations and lead to a better understanding of where common ground can be found in supporting academic freedom.

– More information soon

NORRAG Policy Dialogues: A Personalized and Relational Approach

NORRAG’s Policy Dialogues facilitate learning and dialogue, connecting decision makers with evidence and experts to address complex policy challenges. These sustained, collaborative engagements help policy makers access relevant knowledge to improve quality and equity in education. We have co-designed an expert engagement program on academic freedom based on a needs analysis with key international, regional and national decision makers. This ensures dialogues are directly relevant to decision makers’ challenges and opportunities. This format is particularly valuable for addressing academic freedom, emphasizing relational evidence use over traditional knowledge dissemination. By convening small expert groups in closed-door settings, we foster interdisciplinary and inter- sectoral exchange, amplifying underrepresented experts, including from the Global South and early-career researchers. Sustained engagement supports institutional change and informed policy decisions.

Policy Insights Publication: Concise and Actionable Insights

The Policy Insights series (inaugurated in 2023) allow experts from academia, policy and practice to effectively communicate their key insights and recommendations to policymakers, stakeholders, and the public in a clear, concise, and actionable manner. As with all our publications, we showcase evidenced contributions from a variety of contexts and perspectives, providing a platform for under-represented experts and demonstrating the range of responses to live debates in policy spaces. This format increases the likelihood that important work can inform decisions, influence policy debates, and drive meaningful change in society.

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