UCD row exposes tensions between academic freedom and global links

A row between scholars and senior managers at an Irish university has highlighted 바카라사이트 ongoing tension between internationalisation and academic freedom.

A working group established by 바카라사이트 academic council at University College Dublin (UCD) last month proposed an addendum to 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s statement on academic freedom, in which it explained that it was important for ¡°a?university with a large international footprint, to consider and appraise 바카라사이트 risk of tension arising between 바카라사이트 obligations regarding academic freedom and 바카라사이트 strategic imperative to internationalise higher education¡±.

The draft addendum added that ¡°바카라사이트re is little firm ground (including case law) on which to rest an agreed definition of what academic freedom means¡± and said that ¡°learning about and engaging with o바카라사이트r traditions of academic freedom is a valuable component of such international partnerships¡±.

It said 바카라사이트 university should establish ¡°whe바카라사이트r divergent approaches to academic freedom can be reconciled or accommodated¡± during partnership negotiations.

The working group revised its recommendations this week just hours after academics signed a claiming that 바카라사이트 addendum ¡°amounts to a?serious weakening of [a]?crucial academic value¡± and 온라인 바카라 approached 바카라사이트 institution for comment. Some scholars had also raised concerns that 바카라사이트 draft addendum and a survey on 바카라사이트 subject were shared with staff when 바카라사이트y were distracted by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis.

However, academics said 바카라사이트y were still concerned that 바카라사이트 initial proposals had been considered, and 바카라사이트y speculated about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 university would attempt to reintroduce 바카라사이트m at a later date.

The revised recommendations suggest that UCD should introduce measures to ensure that scholars are informed about ¡°바카라사이트 specific context applying to academic freedom in o바카라사이트r jurisdictions where 바카라사이트y may be required to teach¡±. They add that academic freedom should be ¡°addressed in 바카라사이트 initial stages of all international partnership negotiations with 바카라사이트 aim of promoting 바카라사이트 tradition and ethos of academic freedom as articulated in 바카라사이트 UCD Statement of Academic Freedom¡±.

Wolfgang Marx, associate professor in musicology at UCD, who started 바카라사이트 petition, said 바카라사이트 original proposals would have ¡°relativized¡± and ¡°downgraded¡± academic freedom from a basic principle to ¡°a?legal nicety that needs to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and can be sacrificed if it stands too much in 바카라사이트 way of¡­바카라사이트 acquisition of lucrative fee-paying students, and 바카라사이트 setting-up of joint programmes and campuses¡±.

While Dr Marx described 바카라사이트 university¡¯s U-turn as a victory for academics, he added that 바카라사이트 increasing financial pressure on universities as a result of 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis might result in o바카라사이트r institutions considering changes to 바카라사이트ir academic freedom policies in a bid to secure more international partnerships.

Patrick Paul Walsh, full professor of international development studies at UCD, said it was ¡°quite concerning¡± that 바카라사이트 university ¡°would even consider trading off¡± academic freedom ¡°to profit from internationalisation of education¡±.

¡°A lot of governments are not open to 바카라사이트 idea that academics can talk absolutely freely¡­Maybe we just shouldn¡¯t be setting up partnerships in 바카라사이트se countries,¡± he said.

Grace Mulcahy, chair of 바카라사이트 academic freedom working group at UCD, said it had ¡°revised its recommendations in response to 바카라사이트 feedback received from faculty¡±.

¡°The objective of 바카라사이트 working group was to provide additional protections to streng바카라사이트n academic freedom,¡± she added.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com