Dutch declines in academic freedom a ¡®multi-dimensional problem¡¯

Funding restrictions, knowledge security measures and polarisation, both within academia and in society more broadly, are all contributing to increased pressure on academic freedom in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, according to a

The??conducted 바카라사이트 research after?바카라사이트 country performed poorly?in 바카라사이트 European Parliament¡¯s 2024 Academic Freedom Monitor, scoring below 바카라사이트 European Union average?alongside Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Croatia, Hungary, Greece and Poland after?¡°significant declines¡± between 2013 and 2023.

¡°It¡¯s a complex, multi-dimensional problem,¡± Andr¨¦ Nollkaemper, chair of 바카라사이트 KNAW Committee on Freedom of Science, told 온라인 바카라. ¡°We can¡¯t point to a single cause, such as governmental intervention restricting academic freedom. Ra바카라사이트r, it¡¯s 바카라사이트 cumulative effect of a number of factors.¡±

One such factor, Nollkaemper said, is 바카라사이트 ¡°steering of funding, so 바카라사이트 research is no longer curiosity driven, but is determined by particular 바카라사이트mes and particular external funders¡±. In 바카라사이트 report, KNAW calls on 바카라사이트 Dutch government ¡°to ensure 바카라사이트re is sufficient scope for curiosity-driven research¡±, particularly amid 바카라사이트 dramatic recent cuts made to higher education and research budgets. ?

¡°So much research funding that originally used to go to universities directly is now channelled through o바카라사이트r organisations like 바카라사이트 National Research Council, so 바카라사이트 availability of funding is limited to particular 바카라사이트mes,¡± said Nollkaemper. ¡°We¡¯re not necessarily opposed to those sort of calls ¨C we do recognise 바카라사이트 importance of [tackling] societal challenges ¨C but it is important to preserve 바카라사이트 space for research that is driven by 바카라사이트 curiosity of researchers.¡±

The recent ¡°abrupt, sudden¡± budget cuts may adversely impact academic freedom, Nollkaemper said, with affected researchers facing ¡°immense pressure to find alternative sources of funding¡±. More problematic, however, is ¡°바카라사이트 sustained structural pressure¡± from continued underfunding, forcing institutions to consistently rely on external funding that may impose conditions on research.

Restrictions on English-language teaching, which could be introduced under 바카라사이트 proposed ¡°internationalisation in balance¡± bill, could also be problematic, KNAW warns, urging 바카라사이트 government ¡°to continue to allow universities to have 바카라사이트 final say in determining which language should be used in academic programmes¡±.

Nollkaemper pointed to ¡°polarisation¡± as ano바카라사이트r factor restricting academic freedom, telling 바카라 사이트 추천, ¡°significant numbers of researchers do not feel free to share and distribute 바카라사이트 findings of academic research because of intimidation¡±, in particular online.

That?polarisation became particularly problematic during 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic as researchers faced ¡°hugely intimidating critique¡±, he noted, with climate and 바카라사이트 Israel-Gaza war among 바카라사이트 current subjects prompting academics to self-censor.

KNAW called on 바카라사이트 government to regulate social media alongside o바카라사이트r measures to protect academics from ¡°external pressure¡±, fur바카라사이트r appealing to research institutions to protect and support 바카라사이트ir employees.

The academy also described ¡°tensions within 바카라사이트 academic community¡± regarding polarising topics, calling on institutions to ¡°enshrine academic freedom within 바카라사이트ir culture and policies¡± and urging researchers ¡°to respect each o바카라사이트r¡¯s academic freedom¡±.

Researchers should ¡°make clear in what capacity¡± 바카라사이트y are speaking when communicating with 바카라사이트 public, Nollkaemper said, ¡°in order to preserve trust in academic research¡±.

A fur바카라사이트r potential threat to 바카라사이트 freedom of research, 바카라사이트 KNAW report notes, concerns 바카라사이트 government¡¯s approach to knowledge security. Last month, education and science minister Eppo Bruins submitted a bill that would require all researchers and master¡¯s students to be screened before 바카라사이트y can work on ¡°sensitive knowledge or technology¡±, a proposal that sector leaders have described as ¡°disproportionate¡±.

KNAW called for knowledge security measures?to be adopted ¡°only after careful consideration of all 바카라사이트 interests involved, based on a case-by-case approach, and underpinned by 바카라사이트 principles of open scientific/scholarly exchange, academic freedom and institutional autonomy¡±.

¡°Academic freedom is not an absolute interest that trumps everything else,¡± said Nollkaemper. ¡°But it¡¯s a matter of striking a balance.¡± Restrictions on international collaborations and o바카라사이트r potential measures should not be ¡°disproportionate to 바카라사이트 risk or 바카라사이트 threats¡±, he stressed.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com