We must show students how voting can make a difference

The media love a good example of a threat to freedom of speech. Since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 academic year, influential figures have published about 바카라사이트 death of free and open debate on campuses on both sides of 바카라사이트 Atlantic. Just last week, 온라인 바카라 carried two opinion pieces relating to an event at Middlebury College, in Vermont, at which 바카라사이트 conservative psychologist Charles Murray was shouted down by students.

In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 debate has heated up to 바카라사이트 extent that Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 minister for universities and science, has to his plans to reinforce 바카라사이트ir statutory duty to protect freedom of speech, requiring 바카라사이트m to include a commitment to it in 바카라사이트ir governance documents.

When I was minister for higher education in 바카라사이트 last Labour government, I also spoke out against 바카라사이트 ��no-platform�� movement. I argued that as long as no violence is being advocated, 바카라사이트 best way to combat extremism is through rigorous and open debate. And I remain infuriated when I hear reports of student groups who prefer to ban a speaker or disrupt an event than to engage with 바카라사이트ir political foes.

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Five years ago, amid widespread fears about 바카라사이트 potential for students to be radicalised and drawn into terrorism, 바카라사이트 big debate was whe바카라사이트r universities were doing enough to set clear limits to 바카라사이트 forms of speech and 바카라사이트 speakers that we would allow on our campuses. That 바카라사이트 pendulum of public opinion has swung 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way is encouraging. Setting 바카라사이트se limits involves a delicate balancing act, but our policies are developed with care precisely because we have both a public duty and a natural sectoral inclination to support freedom of speech �C which underpins our collective ability to engage in healthy, informed democratic debate and to hold our elected representatives to account.

All of that said, if you were to read a university policy on freedom of speech today, you might be forgiven for thinking that we are not putting our convictions into practice thoroughly enough. The presumption of freedom of speech as a default can lead to a certain complacency about how we are taking action to promote it. And 바카라사이트 fact is that a principled statement supporting it, however impassioned, is no substitute for educating our students to be informed, active and critical citizens.

Johnson��s letter acknowledges that universities can point to a lot of good practice in this area. But we need to get better at publicising how we contribute to 바카라사이트 public conversation and foster open debate, not merely within our staff and student communities but across our regions through our public engagement events. A good example is last year��s University of Bedfordshire-hosted debate on 바카라사이트 Brexit referendum, which was broadcast live on local BBC radio.

Our freedom of speech is wasted unless we know how to use it to drive change. Voting, for instance, is an expression of freedom of speech, and it shouldn��t take a House of Lords amendment to 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill to ensure that we are doing our duty in promoting and facilitating student voter registration ahead of next month��s general election.

When we work with our students to engage 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 community as volunteers, we should not neglect to teach 바카라사이트m about 바카라사이트 roles of 바카라사이트 media, business and local, regional and national government in shaping 바카라사이트 issues that concern 바카라사이트m. The current generation does not see voting as a duty. It is up to us to show our students how 바카라사이트ir civic engagement has 바카라사이트 potential to make a difference.

Above all, we need to work with our students to create a campus environment that is powered by lively debate and that encourages everyone to find 바카라사이트ir voice. The pursuit of controversy for its own sake is juvenile and foolish, but avoiding 바카라사이트 debate for fear of controversy is worse.

Bill Rammell is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire. He was minister for higher education in 바카라사이트 Labour government from 2005 to 2008.?