Think\n tank releases a report claiming universities and the Government must do\n much more to ensure that all lawful speech is protectedBy<\/em>Gabriella Swerling,<\/a> SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS EDITOR3 August 2020 \u2022 12:01am<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pro-Brexit\n and right-wing professors face discrimination and are self censoring, a\n think tank has warned, amid fears that academic freedom is under \nthreat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The\n Policy Exchange think tank has released a report claiming that higher \neducation institutions and the Government must do much more to ensure \nthat all lawful speech is protected on university campuses across the \ncountry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\n paper, entitled Academic freedom in the UK, suggests there is a \n“structural discriminatory effect” against the minority of academics at \nBritish universities who identify as being on the right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Researchers warned that: “Hostile or just uncomfortable attitudes signal to those subject to such discrimination that they should conceal their views and narrow their research questions to conform to prevailing norms, if they wish to progress and enjoy a positive workplace experience,” it warns.Ad<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A\n YouGov poll, of 820 both current and former academics, found more than \none in seven said there was a hostile climate towards people with their \npolitical beliefs in their department – but the figure is higher among \nthose who identify as being right-leaning, or among those who voted to \nleave the EU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just\n over half of respondents said they would feel comfortable sitting with a\n colleague who is a Leave supporter at lunch, in a meeting or in the \nstaff room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile,\n more than a third said they would feel comfortable sitting with a \ncolleague who opposes admitting transwomen to women’s refuge centres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But\n more than four in five said they believed academics who were pro-Remain\n would feel comfortable expressing their views to colleagues, the poll \nfound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\n report suggests that right-leaning academics are more likely to choose \nto “self-censor” compared to colleagues who are centrists or on the \nleft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some\n pro-Leave social sciences and humanities academics said they had \nrefrained from publishing or airing views in research and teaching for \n“fear of consequences” to their careers, according to the think tank \npaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\n warns: “The challenge today is that a serious threat to academic \nfreedom may now, in addition, arise from within universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “This\n internal threat derives from the way that some in the university-both \nstudents and faculty members-relate to others on campus, being willing \nto penalise them on the basis of their perceived or actual political \nviews.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n In\n a foreword to the report, Ruth Smeeth, former Labour MP and chief \nexecutive of Index on Censorship, says: “It does the country no good if \nour educators, our academics, our scholars and, most importantly, our \nstudents feel that they can’t speak or engage without fear of \nretribution.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\n report calls on the Government to make it explicit in law that \nuniversities have a direct duty to protect academic freedom and freedom \nof speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\n adds that a “Director for Academic Freedom” should be created as part \nof the Office for Students (OfS) to investigate claims that freedom of \nspeech have been violated, and to promote tolerance for viewpoint \ndiversity in the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Universities\n minister Michelle Donelan said: “University leaders must do much more \nto champion freedom of speech, and this Government is committed to \nbringing forward measures to strengthen free speech and academic \nfreedom, potentially including legislation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n She\n added: “It is deeply concerning the extent to which students and \nacademics with mainstream views are being silenced and discriminated \nagainst in our universities.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n But\n Jo Grady, general secretary of University and College Union (UCU), \ndismissed the findings of the think tank’s report. She said: “The idea \nthat academic freedom is under threat is a myth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The\n main concern our members express is not with think tank-inspired \nbogeyman, but with the current Government’s wish to police what can and \ncannot be taught at university.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\n OfS said it is planning to issue guidance on how universities can meet \nprinciples relating to academic freedom and free speech in the autumn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Responding\n to the report, a Universities UK (UUK) spokesman said: “Academic \nfreedom and freedom of speech are critical to the success of UK higher \neducation and universities take seriously their legal obligations on \nboth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Robustly protecting these characteristics in a constantly evolving world is of the utmost importance to universities.” Robert Halfon, chair of the Education Select Committee, said cancellation of events for security reasons was ‘disgraceful’<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Academic freedom under threat as pro-Brexit professors face discrimination and are self-censoring Think tank releases a report claiming universities and the Government must do much more to ensure that all lawful speech is protectedByGabriella Swerling, SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS EDITOR3 August 2020 … Continue reading
<\/p>\n\n\n\nTelegraph <\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Universities could be required to fund security for controversial speakers to protect free speech, warns minister<\/h1>\n\n\n\n