Academic Freedom and Its Protection in the Law of European States

Abstract

Focusing on those countries that are members of the European Union, it may be noted that these countries are bound under international human rights agreements, such as the International Covenants on Civil and Political, and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights or the European Convention on Human Rights, to safeguard academic freedom under provisions providing for the right to freedom of expression, the right to education, and respect for ‘the freedom indispensable for scientific research.’ unesco’s Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel, a ‘soft-law’ document of 1997, concretises international human rights requirements to be complied with to make the protection of the right to academic freedom effective. Relying on a set of human rights indicators, the present article assesses the extent to which the constitutions, laws on higher education, and other relevant legislation of eu states implement the Recommendation’s criteria. The situation of academic freedom in practice will not be assessed here. The results for the various countries have been quantified and countries ranked in accordance with ‘their performance.’ The assessment demonstrates that, overall, the state of the protection of the right to academic freedom in the law of European states is one of ‘ill-health.’ Institutional autonomy is being misconstrued as exhausting the concept of academic freedom, self-governance in higher education institutions sacrificed for ‘executive-style’ management, and employment security abrogated to cater for ‘changing employment needs’ in higher education.

Granice wolności ekspresji symbolicznej w przestrzeni akademickiej. Przyczynek do dyskusji

“…Swobodę akademicką wypada rozumieć jako "prawo do wolności uczenia i dyskusji bez poddawania ich działaniu określonej doktryny, wolności prowadzenia badań oraz rozpowszechniania i publikowania ich rezultatów, wolności swobodnego wyrażania opinii o instytucjach lub systemie, w których funkcjonują pracownicy naukowi, wolności od instytucjonalnej cenzury i wolności uczestniczenia w organach akademickich o charakterze zawodowym i reprezentatywnym; każdy naukowiec powinien mieć prawo do wypełniania swoich funkcji w sposób wolny od dyskryminacji jakiegokolwiek rodzaju i bez obawy przed represjami ze strony państwa albo z jakiegokolwiek innego źródła" 61 . Swoboda akademicka winna obejmować ponadto: samorządność w ramach wyższych uczelni, stabilność zatrudnienia oraz autonomię uniwersytetów 62 .…”

Academic freedom in contemporary Britain: A cause for concern?

“…Yet, it should be remembered that NPM in many ways contradicts the idea of academic freedom. It underlies the erosion of academic freedom throughout Europe over the past 30 years or so as reflected in legal reforms undertaken (Beiter et al, 2016a).…”

“…Yet, it should be remembered that NPM in many ways contradicts the idea of academic freedom. It underlies the erosion of academic freedom throughout Europe over the past 30 years or so as reflected in legal reforms undertaken (Beiter et al., 2016a). What is note‐worthy is that the erosion is most explicit in the UK, while in many other European states supreme legal norms have been able to ward off inroads far better.…”

Charting Academic Freedom in Europe

“…In some of them, in spite of clear and present dangers and challenges, academic freedom is well respected and protected, including through adequate national legislation. Many European countries have strong, well elaborated and effective legal instruments for the protection of academic freedom (Beiter et al 2016). However, in the EHEA, in this integrated common space, that is not sufficient: one country depends on the others, and higher education activities are affected overall even if academic freedom is restricted in some although not all countries.…”