In the past year, tensions between the US administration and many major American universities – apparently revolving around « Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) » policies and the handling of student and faculty protests – have reached a critical point. From legislative restrictions on teaching and frozen grants to political pressure on university governance, academic freedom in the United States faces unprecedented challenges.
These developments carry implications for Europe and have an impact on the global research collaboration. While American and European higher education systems differ significantly in structure and tradition, the pressures emerging across the Atlantic offer crucial warning signals.
What concrete lessons can Europe draw from America’s current struggles? How do legal protections for academic freedom compare on both sides of the Atlantic? And what mechanisms should Europe strengthen now to safeguard the independence of its research institutions?
This STOA annual lecture brought together experts and policy makers who examined these transatlantic dimensions in order to chart a path forward for protecting the independence and integrity of research and higher education in an increasingly polarized world.
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• STOA annual lecture 2026