Academic freedom

Bizarre phenomena on Chinese university campuses go beyond manifestations of student boredom, according to academics

University reaffirms ‘commitment to freedom of expression and academic freedom’ following student protests and UCU’s call to cancel event

Westminster government signals it will seek to reinstate ‘statutory tort’ removed by peers

Regulator tells universities free speech codes should cover teaching and academics will be polled, bringing ‘independence’ rebuke

Xiaolei Wu alleged to have told victim that he had reported them to security agencies in homeland

Proposed safe home for conservative voices doing well on funding but with signs of delays and political softening

Civility works well as a campus norm, and lawful rights must be protected, but ‘respect’ mandates are misguided, says Geoff Sharrock

Move by Afghan government ‘opens door’ for more of its supporters to become lecturers, scholars fear

Peers amend controversial legislation owing to prospect of “endless litigation”, with ban on non-disclosure agreements also supported

Five years on from Cambridge University Press’ controversial compliance with a Chinese government request to make more than 300 articles unavailable to Chinese readers, publishers are increasingly self-censoring content on ‘sensitive’ topics. But is the trade-off justified, asks George Cooper

Concerns over prospect of ‘endless litigation’ lead to government tabling changes to controversial legislation

Saying that you stand with Ukraine while glossing over the situation in Hong Kong is untenable, says Phil Chan

Critics claim victory as assessment of research benefits is handed back to the experts

Plea comes as European Parliament pledges new focus on academic freedom

Conservative ex-universities ministers aim to force government into rowing back on plans to allow universities to be sued over free speech

Academics suggest the answers to the hard lessons that Fifa is learning now should have been obvious from the experience of higher education institutions in the Gulf state

The UK’s Higher Education Bill could become a new global reference on academic freedom – if only it can get the definition right, say Liviu Matei and Shitij Kapur

Central reporting depersonalises attacks and helps police spot patterns, according to prominent vaccine scholar who has faced threats

LSE historian accuses journal of ‘compromising intellectual quality in favour of identity politics’

Too many European policymakers see universities as ‘knowledge factories’ that exist to serve state interests, according to College of Europe professor

Economist released weeks after being sentenced to three years’ imprisonment over ‘trumped up’ charges

Scholars express ‘deep concern’ over recent decrees banning women from public places and reinstating sharia

In Hong Kong, as elsewhere, managers should support faculty and students to engage in inquiry whatever their personal values, says Carsten Holz

Universities should not be obliged to support speech that restricts another’s right to speech or academic freedom, say James Murray and Alice Sullivan

Concerns over more rigid control of universities and fear of isolationist thinking causing ‘intellectual impoverishment’ for East and West

Scholar warns that growing influence of ideology over education could be ‘the most dangerous thing’ happening in modern-day Russia

Fine words in support of academic freedom are welcome, but deeds are also required, says Agnieszka Piotrowska

Şebnem Korur Fincancı was charged with spreading terrorist propaganda after calling for inquest into army’s alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria

A glorious history of anti-fascist protest means anarchy is tolerated on Greek campuses, but some are ready for the repeal of academic asylum to finally be enforced

Directive for nine university administrators to resign ‘unprecedented’ in scale, according to researchers

Encouraging students to embody their institution’s distinctive values will allow it to present a more rounded view of the true worth of higher education, says Claire Taylor

After weeks of promising to allow Gavin McInnes on campus despite heavy student opposition, police concerns override administration’s push to uphold free speech principles

Pro-regime letter attributed to 10,000 professors condemns ‘aimless riots’ as students across the country call for change

President says experience of ‘provocateur extraordinaire’ provided a tough test of principles that are now paying off

Legal accountability may increase early cancellation of hostile speakers as institutions bury booking processes in red tape, Hepi study suggests

Even after two decades of death threats, Afshin Ellian sees liberal societies as a paradise on Earth

Academics say mobilisation gives universities a powerful tool, with learners who get expelled facing being sent to the Ukrainian front

It’s the ‘start of a revolution’, students chant in third week of protests

Advocates abandon Melbourne seminar over Australia’s answer to Diversity Champions Programme, citing presence of opponents

But political scientists and politician-scientist say the country’s rightward shift poses ‘no risk’ to academic freedom or international recruitment

New York-based manga comic expert claims withdrawal of Karl Andersson’s controversial paper may ‘stifle innovation and scholarship’ in future

Academics believe regime is ‘unlikely’ to silence ‘spirit of opposition’ gaining momentum across hundreds of campuses

Hopes that formalisation of economist’s imprisonment could trigger his early release

Auckland case illustrates fine line between political expression and potentially dangerous incitement

Half of students feel universities are becoming less tolerant, and most back legislation on the issue, but survey reveals complex picture overall

Campus cites 2021 state law in telling all employees not to promote abortion, while state’s other large institution suggests pointing students to outside counsellors

Institutions should assign a senior university manager to uphold academic freedom in same way as equality is promoted at board level, says report

Some doubt government will really lavish foundation-governed universities with extra funding it has promised

Private Orthodox institution acts after US Supreme Court upholds state court recognition order that’s likely to be reversed later

A large survey of students suggests that even Democrats are afraid to air their views on certain subjects. This isn’t healthy, says Samuel Abrams

ARC reveals macro scale of its micro-management of funding applicants’ statements

The toxic dispute over the rights of transgender people and how freely these matters should be discussed remains academia’s most divisive issue. Laura Favaro explains what she learned from speaking to both sides

University sees free-speech limits after Nigerian-born professor wishes monarch pain for colonial abuses

Students welcome formation of new CUHK union but say its political involvement will be limited

Survey in annual report by advocacy group Fire shows slightly less support on campuses for shouting down or using violence to deter speakers

Students should be encouraged to tackle books, ideas or ways of thinking they may find distressing or offensive – but offering emotional support is important too, says Sussex’s new vice-chancellor, Sasha Roseneil

The reaction to James Sweet’s article about presentism – including his own – compromises genuine scholarly debate, says Jonathan Zimmerman

Grant delays worse than ever, researchers say, as ARC strives to meet demands of ousted government

Salma al-Shehab given 34-year sentence over critical posts on Twitter

Moves ‘appear to fit a broader pattern’ of Indian authorities using diverse means to restrict researchers’ freedom, says academic rights group