Academic freedom

Proposed definition could provide get-out-of-jail-free card for ‘rogue academics’, some claim

‘Freedom of speech is a question of interpretation,’ says v-c who maintains art studio in Beijing

Both Beijing and Hong Kong must adjust their approaches and sensibilities to restore confidence and trust in HK universities, argues John Burns

Researchers say funding bodies and university management have most influence over state of scholarly autonomy

Professors ride a wave of ‘public anger’ over coronavirus outbreak in airing anti-government views

Changes will give platform in universities to anti-abortionists and climate change deniers, claim opponents

Ministry of Education forced to review decree that limits the number of researchers who can travel to events after outcry

Professors on the mainland and overseas defying government guidelines as outbreak spreads

Harvard case was meant to get academia’s attention, and did, prosecutors proclaim

Academics and students at the Higher School of Economics forbidden from disclosing affiliation when engaging in politics 

Furore over Oxford doctoral student’s journal article reignites debate over the limits of free speech

Contract reveals the Free University of Berlin is bound by Chinese law, which critics fear gives Beijing influence over teaching content

Companies retreat for now, but see the technology’s spread as inevitable

Debate continues over the withdrawal of a “dissent” course last year at Yale-NUS 

Academics are taking advantage of their freedom to launch new research, but question how long this will last

The looseness of regulations around collaboration with overseas contacts will intimidate scholars into silence and isolation, says Katarzyna Kaczmarska

Sussex philosophy professor on why she continues to speak out despite facing online abuse and ‘hostile environment’ at work

Study of European Social Survey data finds academics more left-leaning than almost any other professional group, but show ‘no greater homogeneity’ in beliefs

Campus demonstrations oppose controversial new citizenship legislation

Ex-Tory adviser pushes plan to legislate to create ‘national academic freedom champion’ to ‘lead on sanctions where appropriate’

Pro-Palestine group brands order a ‘dangerous, authoritarian attempt to silence student activism’

Blocked from firing hostile professors, institutions restrict their teaching rights

King’s College London survey finds ‘significant agreement’ between students and the public ‘on the value of freedom of expression’

Dan Tehan tells THE that he ‘fully supported’ institutions going beyond sector-wide code

Administrator ‘shocked’ that school was being used as ‘scapegoat’ during political turmoil 

City’s reputation hinges on continued preservation of academic freedom and students’ rights

Higher education is not unaffected by the chokehold on press freedom in Australia, says John Ross 

Universities and government should use ‘tracker’ to screen research ties, grants and visa applications

Even on elite US campuses, students seen favouring political goals over free enquiry

Hong Kong university leaders plead with barricaded staff and students to leave

Ministry says change to score – a key plank of claim against Gerd Schröder-Turk – cannot be affected by media coverage

Scholars at Risk report chronicles growing number of attacks on universities, their staff and students globally

Multibillionaire announces investment at the launch of beleaguered university’s new campus

Hundreds remain cornered by police inside Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Six leading universities cancel last two weeks of semester after campuses left looking like war zones

Flimsy evidence provided for China’s political interference in UK academia has raised questions over the motivation for calls for tougher regulation

Bureau admits using paperwork flaws to drive evictions, without clear line on open science

Police use tear gas on campus for first time since protests began

Greater Bay Area collaborations seen as offering potential for Hong Kong universities to further commercialisation of research and innovation

Universities in region have lower share of foreign staff in subject in wake of academic restrictions and focus on local hiring

Barcelona academic says universities should take more neutral stance, but exiled scholar says Spain’s actions ‘undermine’ European values

Michael Murphy fears universities are now seen as being in ‘perpetual opposition’ by politicians

One US university turned down a joint venture and another cancelled a music tour, but soft power push in higher education continues

Junius Ho, who has been accused of supporting violence against protesters, has honour removed by British university

US president’s visit shows heavy reliance of struggling minority campuses on federal power

Linguist ‘at a loss for words’ over university guidelines on what can and cannot be said about Jews

Move comes amid concern about treatment of academics who criticise employers

Tensions between Hong Kong and mainland China students play out at universities

Shorter contract length and tougher terms may help remaining partnerships survive

Role includes illuminating Chinese staff about the ways of their hosts, director says

Criticism grows as the government is accused of causing ‘unforgiveable havoc’ amid protests  

Despite student clamour, Georgia Southern leaders answer alarming action with calm and context

Revelations that a Chinese university suspended an academic for ‘moral misconduct’ provoked weeks of online controversy

Ivy League university suspected of engaging in self-censorship in Singapore

‘Under these circumstances, high world rankings are just not going to happen,’ professor warns

Munira Mirza claimed some academics wished to suppress intellectual freedom, in article written while working for King’s College London

Institutions’ status hinges on city’s high level of academic freedom and position as global travel hub

Researcher held in UAE for five months suggests commercial relationships may trump concern for researchers’ well-being

Rising instances of warrantless searches at borders have ‘serious implications for academic freedom and research confidentiality’, says union head

University study centre ‘positive’ on Islam but not Christianity, objects senior Department of Education official