Academic freedom is a fundamental right, yet in many places it is under attack. The European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) is a staunch defender of academic freedom in the EU. In 2022, it set up the European Parliament Forum for Academic Freedom.

 

Laszlo Upor is the former deputy rector of the SZFE, the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest. In 2020, the university was placed under the control of a private foundation close to the Hungarian government and most of its staff were dismissed. This provoked protests against the move in Hungary and beyond.

 

In this interview, Upor discusses the importance of academic freedom in the EU.