Academic freedom “increasingly under threat”
Viggo Stacey | 26 July 2023 | The Pie News
New guidance on academic freedom took centre stage at a recent event hosted by the UN Human Rights Council and Scholars at Risk, as stakeholders warned that it is increasingly under threat worldwide.
Attacks on academic freedom, impacting both students and academics, includes violence and wrongful imprisonment. Photo: pexels
At the event in early July, the latest from the Principles for Implementing the Right of Academic Freedom, which has been developed by an international working group, was detailed.
“Academic freedom is essential for any healthy democratic society,” said Eamon Gilmore, European Union Special Representative for Human Rights. “Without it, critical thinking cannot be cultivated and critical thinking is key to freedom, prosperity, progress and innovation.
“People need to be able to share and access information in order to develop new ideas and the freedom to research, teacher, debate and disseminate is central to the advancement of knowledge.
“Academic freedom is also key to holding authorities and governments to account,” Gilmore added.
However, he warned that it “continues to decline across the world”.