Defending academic freedom

Defending academic freedom: crucial to society

The European Parliament’s Forum for Academic Freedom launched a video series of interviews on academic freedom.
The first three interviewed specialists express their views on the importance of this fundamental value in society.
Laszlo Upor, former Deputy Rector of the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest (Hungary), Michael Ignatieff, former Rector of the Central European University in Budapest (Hungary), and Laura Lohéac, Executive Director of the PAUSE programme (France) have either been directly affected by restrictions on academic freedom or are engaged in defending it. They explain why this right is crucial to society – “It’s a right, not a privilege”.

More video interviews on academic freedom with researchers from different institutions and countries will follow.

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on March 2, 2026

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STOA’s annual lecture: Academic Freedom in the US

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on January 21, 2026

View of the Harvard University's Campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

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Interview with Prof. David Rabban on the challenges for academic freedom in the United States

In the past year, tensions between the US administration and many of the major US universities have intensified, increasingly putting pressure on their academic freedom. Law professor David Rabban (University of Texas) thinks “it is important to push back against government intrusions into the intellectual life of universities. Some universities have resisted, sometimes bringing successful ...

on January 12, 2026

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Podcast: ‘Academic Freedom in the EU: defending a pillar of democracy’

Academic freedom is a fundamental EU value that’s under threat. That’s why the European Parliament’s panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) is taking action. In 2022, STOA launched the Forum for Academic Freedom. Its annual high-level conference this year brought together academia, decision makers and experts, to explore how academic freedom can ...

on March 12, 2025

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Academic freedom in the EU – defending a pillar of democracy

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on February 19, 2025

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STOA high-level conference ‘Perspectives on Academic Freedom in Europe and beyond’

On Wednesday 5 February at 14h-17h CET, the high-level conference 'Perspectives on Academic Freedom in Europe and beyond' took place in the European Parliament’s library room in Brussels. You can watch the recording of the event.

on February 5, 2025

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Prof. Anne Husebekk: ‘There is increased pressure on academic freedom’

Interview on academic freedom with Prof. Anne Husebekk, former vice-president for Freedom and Responsibility in Science at the International Science Council. In the run-up to the high-level conference “Perspectives on academic freedom in Europe and beyond”, organised by the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) on 5 February 2025, we ...

on January 29, 2025

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European Parliament Forum for Academic Freedom: safeguard this essential right

A major achievement of the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology during the 2019-2024 term was the creation of the Forum for Academic Freedom. This groundbreaking platform monitors the state of this fundamental right across the EU member states. The forum is all the more crucial at a time when academic ...

on October 16, 2024