Academic freedom at universities ‘in danger’

ACADEMIC freedom within British universities could be in danger as academics with right-leaning or proBrexit views feel they have to censor what they teach, research and discuss, a report has warned.

The Policy Exchange think tank argues that higher education institutions and the Government must do much more to ensure that all lawful speech is protected on university campuses across the country.

The paper, entitled Academic freedom in the UK, suggests there is a “structural discriminatory effect” against the minority of academics at British universities who identify as being on the right.

“Hostile or just uncomfortable attitudes signal to those subject to such discrimination that they should conceal their views and narrow their research questions to conform to prevailing norms, if they wish to progress and enjoy a positive workplace experience,” it warns.

A YouGov poll, of 820 both current and former academics, found more than one in seven said there was a hostile climate towards people with their political beliefs in their department – the figure is higher among those who identify as being rightleaning, or who voted to leave the EU.

Just over half of respondents said they would feel comfortable sitting with a colleague who is a Leave supporter at lunch, in a meeting or in the staff room.

More than a third said they would feel comfortable sitting with a colleague who opposes admitting transwomen to women’s refuge centres.

But more than four in five said they believed academics who were proRemain would feel comfortable expressing their views to colleagues, the poll found.