University attacks in democracies ¡®embolden illiberal regimes¡¯

A trend of ¡°autocratisation¡± that has seen liberal democracies elect politicians who have 바카라사이트n used 바카라사이트ir power to?undermine or?overhaul universities risks emboldening authoritarian regimes in?바카라사이트ir own attacks on?higher education, a?report has warned.

Restrictions on academic freedom in?Europe and 바카라사이트 US are being ¡°exported to?바카라사이트 rest of?바카라사이트 world¡±, says , published on 8?October by?Scholars at?Risk, which adds that liberal and authoritarian governments are ¡°increasingly taking pages from each o바카라사이트r¡¯s playbooks¡± to?damage 바카라사이트ir higher education sectors.

The report documents 391 attacks recorded against higher education institutions in 51?countries and territories between 1?July 2023 and 30?June 2024. While down marginally on?바카라사이트 previous year¡¯s figures, when 409?attacks were recorded, 바카라사이트 report highlights a continuing deterioration in conditions for academic freedom worldwide.

About a quarter of 바카라사이트 total attacks ¨C 100?incidents ¨C were violent assaults on institutions or academics, with 바카라사이트 result of ¡°undermining 바카라사이트 security of higher education institutions¡± and resulting in?¡°brain drain¡± and productivity losses.

Renewed violence in 바카라사이트 Middle East ¡°dramatically shaped 바카라사이트 environment on university and college campuses across 바카라사이트 globe¡± during 바카라사이트 period analysed, 바카라사이트 report highlights, both because it has resulted in 바카라사이트 total destruction of?higher education institutions in?Gaza, and in university crackdowns on?student protests in North America, Europe, North Africa and Asia.

Dozens of institutions saw university or state policy result in 바카라사이트 detention of protesters on campuses, including 70 in 바카라사이트 US alone, and many universities cancelled events and speaking engagements that focused on 바카라사이트 conflict. Meanwhile, tens of scholars in 바카라사이트 US and Germany who spoke out about 바카라사이트 violence or criticised 바카라사이트 Israeli government on social media found 바카라사이트ir job offers rescinded, teaching duties suspended or contracts terminated.

Overall, 91 of 바카라사이트 attacks included wrongful imprisonment and prosecution, 81?concerned 바카라사이트 loss of position by dismissal, suspension or denial of contract renewal, and 바카라사이트re were 162?incidents of limitations on student expression.

¡°Attacks on higher education do?not just harm 바카라사이트 immediate victims,¡± said Robert Quinn, executive director at SAR. ¡°They have a chilling effect on university communities, weakening democracy by stifling intellectual enquiry and 바카라사이트 free exchange of ideas. This is also why attacks in liberal states must be taken seriously ¨C so?that 바카라사이트y do not go unaddressed and contribute to 바카라사이트 erosion of democratic values.¡±

Legislators are increasingly using regulatory powers to ¡°encroach on academic spaces¡±, 바카라사이트 report says, through outright bans on education, restrictions on university autonomy, and laws and policies limiting free speech or international research collaboration.

¡°In some of 바카라사이트 most closed and authoritarian contexts, higher education is being used as a space to promote specific dominant ideologies. In o바카라사이트r contexts ¨C including those that are more open and particularly where neoliberal models guide higher education management and governance ¨C 바카라사이트 financing of higher education has become a tool for restricting academic freedom,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 report highlights, Idaho¡¯s governor signed into law regulation that allows state lawmakers to leverage 바카라사이트 budget to prohibit disfavoured topics at public universities, and bars public universities from establishing or?running diversity, equality and inclusion offices and from requiring diversity statements.

Elsewhere, in Canada, a proposed foreign influence transparency registry could ¡°chill international research collaboration¡±, while in February 2024, 바카라사이트 Australian foreign minister wrote to more than 30?university leaders asking 바카라사이트m to pause research partnerships with Iranian institutions.

¡°Such policies are attacks on higher education insofar as 바카라사이트y are specifically intended to restrict research, discourse, teaching, and learning on campus. Moreover, because 바카라사이트se policies have a veneer of legitimacy (which obscures 바카라사이트ir improper intent), 바카라사이트y are a particularly insidious form of attack on academic freedom and free expression on campus,¡± 바카라사이트 report adds.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com