Academic freedom is coming under increasing pressure worldwide. In Germany and Europe, too, the Academic Freedom Index shows a decline, whilst social polarisation is on the rise and populist forces are gaining ground. Against this backdrop, the Berlin Brandenburg Academic Freedom Week took place from 18 to 22 May. A highlight was a panel discussion entitled “Academic Freedom in Danger: European Universities between Resilience and Responsibility”, which took place on 20 May in the Senate Hall of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Following a welcome address by the French Ambassador François Delattre, Prof. Dr Andrea Fleschenberg dos Ramos Pinéu from HU and Prof. Dr Khoo Ying Hooi from Universiti Malaya presented key findings from the workshop ‘(Re-)constructing Solidarity: Connecting Academic Freedom Worldwide”, and Prof. Jay Rowell from the Centre Marc Bloch presented the findings of the roundtable “Transnational Perspectives on Academic Freedom” – both events having taken place earlier during Academic Freedom Week.
What responsibilities do European universities have?
The panel discussion that followed featured Prof. Dr Julia von Blumenthal, President of HU, Prof. Dr Markus Hilgert, President of the Berlin University of the Arts, Prof. Dr Pierre-Paul Zalio, President of Campus Condorcet, a research campus for the humanities and social sciences comprising Parisian universities, and the independent researcher Dr Sevil Çakır. The discussion focused on the questions of what responsibility European universities have when academic freedom is increasingly under threat, how resilient they are, and how they can become more resilient. The panel discussion was moderated by science journalist Dr Jan-Martin Wiarda.
Everyone agreed that academic freedom must not be viewed in a one-dimensional way. On the one hand, it is important to protect individual researchers who are at risk. On the other hand, it is important to protect universities from attacks. According to Çakır, attacks on academic freedom can also be subtle or take the form of precarious working conditions, funding cuts or increasing competition. Above all, solidarity among academics, particularly with international partner institutions, is of particular importance.
“Universities are a mirror of society”
When asked whether academic freedom could also be under attack from within – that is, by the academics themselves – von Blumenthal emphasised: “Universities are a mirror of society.” If, for example, right-wing, anti-democratic ideas gain traction in society outside the university, then this also happens within the academic world. Here, it is important to constantly educate and raise awareness about the special value of academic freedom.
A culture of respectful debate is essential
During the concluding Q&A session, there were calls to focus even more strongly in future on the role of students – after all, they make up the majority of the university population. In conclusion – partly in response to a small protest – Hilgert once again highlighted the great value of academic freedom and a culture of respectful debate in our society: listening to and respecting one another, even when views differ greatly, is essential.