Free Universities: Putting the Academic Freedom Index Into Action

Academic freedom is a universal right and essential to quality education, teaching and research. It is a driver of innovation, enhances the capacity of scholars and students to acquire and generate knowledge, and thereby protects societies’ capacity for self-reflection. While states and universities throughout the world have long committed to respecting academic freedom, it remains poorly understood – and is under attack in many places.

As this report gets published, the international community is still addressing the global COVID-19 pandemic. Higher education institutions have tried to adapt to the new circumstances by implementing physically distanced learning and, where possible, through virtual collaborations. But above all else, they have had to rely on and demonstrated creativity. That includes the countless academic institutions and researchers who have harnessed their expertise to support the responses to the pandemic and its aftermath. 

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has also ushered in new threats to academic freedom. Most notable among these are increased opportunities for the surveillance of research, teaching and discourse, as well as sanctions, restrictions, self-censorship, and isolation. While these measures are especially prevalent in repressive countries, online harassment can happen anywhere. In the coming year, states, higher education leaders and institutions, funders, and advocates alike must remain alert to and guard against such threats to academic inquiry and expression. We must redouble our commitment to the principle that academic freedom matters – not just to higher education, but to everyone.