NIAS & Academic Freedom
NIAS is committed to fostering independent research and knowledge exchange in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary setting. By breaking down barriers between disciplines, we facilitate innovative ideas and meaningful conversations.
In this environment of slow science, we engage in critical discussions on academic freedoms—their value, challenges, and threats. Institutes for Advanced Study often serve as early indicators of pressures on academic freedom. At NIAS, we view these freedoms as essential for groundbreaking research, ensuring scholars can explore ideas independently, deeply, and from diverse perspectives.
Academic freedoms are increasingly under attack worldwide. Universities face growing political pressures, funding cuts, and restrictions—from Hungary and Poland to Brazil, Turkey, and the US. As an institution dedicated to free thought, NIAS stands with academia in upholding democratic values and resisting these threats.
How can we best defend academic freedoms and, in turn, liberal democracies? What role should institutions like NIAS play? We continuously explore these questions, learning from our fellows’ experiences and insights. With our diverse and international community, NIAS fosters intellectual debate, mutual learning, and a shared commitment to protecting academic integrity—especially in uncertain times.
What is academic freedom?
There is something remarkable about the topic of academic freedom, especially when discussed within the Dutch context. No one will deny the importance of scientists being able to practice their work in freedom and independence. At the same time, there is – also among scientists – a lot of uncertainty about what exactly academic freedom means.
Pressure on academic freedom globally
Furthermore, it is well-known that academic freedom is under significant pressure in many countries. What does this look like? And does this apply to the Netherlands as well? Are governments and institutions influencing scientific research through financial allocations? What impact does the intimidation of scientists through social media have? What does it look like when Academic Freedom is under threat? Is is different, country to country?
- Fleeing Ukrainian scientists on their country’s future: ‘Values suddenly don’t count’
- American fellows, Mita Choudhury and Sharon Rose, discuss their concerns over the growing threats to academic freedom in the U.S.
- Watch the Freedom Lecture by NIAS Safe Haven Fellow Amal Helles
- Statement of academies of science in Europe: academic freedom and cooperation under pressure in the US
- Researchers from Gaza come to NIAS
The risk of taking academic freedom for granted
While academic freedom, in all its complexity, may not be the most media-friendly topic, it is regrettable that its significance is not more widely understood. A limited or flawed understanding of academic freedom can weaken its meaning, causing it to lose its significance and allowing it to be used in political or ideological debates. For instance, the Dutch House of Representatives seeks to protect “right-wing scientists” from left-wing “ideological bias” under the guise of academic freedom, but opposes scientists using that same freedom to protest on climate issues.
The mistaken belief that academic freedom is a given in the Netherlands, or not sufficiently acknowledged, can lead to complacency. Prioritizing a deeper understanding of this cornerstone of scientific inquiry is crucial to effectively protecting it. After all, one cannot safeguard what they do not comprehend, nor can they communicate its relevance to others.
- Michael Ignatieff on Academic Freedom: What’s At Stake? (And Who Cares?)”
- What can go wrong if politics starts acting as the boss of other pillars of democracy.
A decline in academic freedom globally
Fifty years ago, data suggested an optimistic expansion of academic freedom in 56 countries. However, recent trends paint a more concerning picture. The Academic Freedom Index shows that 23 countries, including the Netherlands, are experiencing a decline in academic freedom, while only 10 countries are witnessing an increase. Currently, 3.6 billion people live in countries where academic freedoms are severely restricted.
A richer understanding of academic freedom
If we truly care about science, we must strive for a more comprehensive understanding of academic freedom. It’s essential to recognise that academic freedom is not a singular concept but rather a plural one. A meaningful debate about academic freedom should begin by asking: what exactly are academic freedoms about? The term carries different meanings in different contexts.
For example, the official definition from UNESCO stresses that academic freedom involves not just the absence of external influence, but also the freedom to critique one’s institution and to participate in professional and representative bodies. The KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) agrees that academic freedom involves more than just researchers’ ability to conduct their work free from external pressures like politics, business, or public opinion. While this is an essential condition, academic freedom also ties closely to the responsibility of researchers to adhere to professional standards and values.
The balance of freedoms and responsibilities
Academic freedom is not absolute. A researcher cannot simply act as they wish but must do so honestly, carefully, transparently, and responsibly. While this seems obvious, it means academic freedom will sometimes clash with other freedoms, such as the freedom of speech. For instance, a researcher may freely choose their topic as long as it is not driven by personal, extra-scientific beliefs. However, as an individual, they are free to hold any opinion without interference from public authorities, regardless of the boundaries of those opinions.
While these tensions between freedoms are inevitable, they remain problematic. The balance between the freedoms and responsibilities of scientists is not always easy to achieve, and professional codes of conduct often offer little guidance on how to make these trade-offs. A key example is the concept of “independence,” which is both a right (free from interference) and a duty (to be independent). However, as a duty, it lacks specific clarity.
Legal context of academic freedom
These issues raise several important questions, including whether the responsibility of individual scientists aligns with the legal protections afforded to their academic freedom. In the Dutch legal context, academic freedom is not explicitly enshrined in the Constitution, unlike in Germany, for example. Instead, it is a principle developed historically, with its core protected by national laws and international treaties to which the Netherlands is a party. Key protections include freedom of expression (Article 7 of the Dutch Constitution), Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Additionally, academic freedom is recognized as a fundamental social right in Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and Article 1.6 of the Dutch Higher Education and Scientific Research Act, which obliges universities to respect academic freedom.
The tensions within
Within this legal framework, tensions emerge. For example, in 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that academic freedom must be understood broadly, encompassing both individual and institutional dimensions. The autonomy of academic institutions is essential for individual scholars to conduct their research freely. However, conflicts can arise when an institution attempts to prohibit certain research methods or topics that some of its researchers deem valuable.
Another example is Article 1.6 of the Higher Education and Scientific Research Act, which provides some protection for scholars by guaranteeing their freedom to initiate research and select research methods. However, in practice, invoking academic freedom in labor disputes often works to the disadvantage of scientists. This is because academic freedom is not absolute, and must be weighed against other principles that may have greater legal standing.
Freedom from and freedom to
This brings us to the most important aspect: the philosophical or theoretical context of academic freedom. The core question here is the nature of the freedom that academic freedom is based on. Philosophy distinguishes between “negative” freedom (freedom from interference) and “positive” freedom (freedom to achieve self-development). In research, this means that scientists should be free not only from external interference from government or industry but also free to determine how they use that freedom within science. The former refers to legal preconditions, while the latter pertains to material conditions and resources.
Historically, academic freedom has been understood primarily as the “negative” right to be free from external interference. This idea, which emerged in the nineteenth century, assumes a strict separation between the realms of science and everything else. However, this separation has become problematic in the twenty-first century. Insights from the sociology of science and other disciplines have shown that scientific knowledge is socially constructed. The socialization of science and the democratization of universities, along with shifts like the economization and politicization of science, have made the concept of positive academic freedom more relevant.
The new landscape of academic freedom
As a result, the understanding of academic freedom is shifting. The key question now is: what conditions are necessary for academic freedom to be fully exercised? This includes ensuring that scholars have the right conditions, including enough time and resources, to exercise their academic freedom in the way they see fit.
For instance, issues like high workloads, burnout rates, the pressure of the “publish or perish” culture, the emphasis on large-scale international collaborations, and the precarization of work—especially for young academics—are all relevant to the current state of academic freedom. When viewed as a positive freedom, academic freedom’s relationship with the current state of Dutch science becomes clearer.
Multifaceted
In conclusion, the concept of academic freedom is multifaceted and requires attention to both its legal and philosophical dimensions. Recognizing this complexity can significantly advance the debate around academic freedom, ensuring that both the “negative” and “positive” aspects are addressed. Only through a full understanding of these aspects can we ensure that academic freedom is properly protected and that its conditions are met to foster scholarly independence.
