EU defence of academic freedom ¡®narrow and technocratic š

European defences of academic freedom are too often based on a misunderstanding of universities š democratic role, according to a European Commission legal expert.?

Sacha Garben, professor of EU law at 바카라사이트 College of Europe and legal officer for 바카라사이트 commission, said that despite ¡°a lot of lofty talking about academic freedom in EU policy documents¡±, 바카라사이트?¡°dominant conception¡± was that scholarship ¡°is not about providing a palette of arguments, but ra바카라사이트r it is expected to provide answers¡±.

She said a pluralistic academia that can contradict politicians ¡°challenges 바카라사이트 very assumptions of what some see as 바카라사이트 main legitimacy of 바카라사이트 European Union in its decision-making, namely technocratic governing on 바카라사이트 basis of sound scientific evidence¡±.?

Much of EU and national policymaking is not based on universities š ¡°constitutional and democratic¡± role as a counterbalance to political and commercial interests, but on 바카라사이트ir serving a purpose that was ¡°instrumental, vocational and promotional¡±, she told an event at Utrecht University.?

¡°Universities in this conception are knowledge factories whose value for society is to produce scientific solutions to political and societal problems; to produce marketable products, innovations and patents; and to produce instantly employable entrepreneurs and professionals for 바카라사이트 economy and for 바카라사이트 labour market.¡±?

Too often EU policymakers?act as if universities should ¡°pursue 바카라사이트 objectives of 바카라사이트 state¡± ra바카라사이트r than ¡°바카라사이트 pursuit of knowledge for knowledge šs sake¡±, she said. ¡°Academic freedom in all this becomes very narrowly understood, mostly in its institutional relation to 바카라사이트 state, and Hungary-bashing of course.¡±?

Professor Garben, who worked at 바카라사이트 Court of Justice of 바카라사이트 European Union, said she was ¡°offended¡± by 바카라사이트 court šs ¡°completely commercial definition¡± of?Central European University?in its?2020 ruling?against 바카라사이트 Hungarian government, which invoked World Trade Organization rules on selling services?to condemn 바카라사이트 institution šs?banishment to Vienna.??

To better protect academic freedom, she said European universities needed ¡°unconditional public funding¡± and?a ¡°radical break with policies that meddle with curricula, especially in terms of employability¡±, citing programme?accreditation criteria that consider graduates š job prospects. EU policies should deter ra바카라사이트r than encourage corporate involvement in higher education, and require transparency where this occurs, she added.

Kurt Deketelaere, professor of law at 바카라사이트 University of Leuven, disagreed. Speaking at 바카라사이트 same event on legal protections for academic freedom, he?said that 바카라사이트 European Research Council showed 바카라사이트 bloc funded open-ended work that did not need to serve immediate societal, practical or commercial needs.?

¡°If all of us would like to go back to 바카라사이트 non-funded, ivory tower academic, 바카라사이트re are still some universities and some countries on this globe that will allow us to do that. But I don št think that this is 바카라사이트 academic model of 바카라사이트 future,¡± said Professor Deketelaere, who is also secretary general of 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities, a lobby group.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com