Swiss Science Briefing

Academic Freedom: an essential value for progress and prosperity

Academic freedom is a basic tenet that underpins scientific progress and encompasses the freedom to pursue research, teach and study without unreasonable interference. However, in recent years, academic freedom is increasingly coming under pressure.

This Science Briefing therefore addressed questions such as: What is the state of affairs of academic freedom in Europe and globally? How can science communities contribute to prevent a further erosion of academic freedom? What are the implications on international scientific cooperation involving nations with different value systems?

For that purpose, Martina Caroni Professor at the University of Lucerne and the Swiss Academies’ Delegate for Human Rights, together with Gosse Vuijk, Head of Parliamentary Affairs for the Member of the European Parliament Christian Ehler, provided keynotes.

Thereafter, a panel discussion followed with Jan Willem Duyvendak, Director of the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Katrin Kinzelbach, Professor for International Politics of Human Rights at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität in Erlangen-Nürnberg, Koen Lemmens, Professor of Human Rights Law at the KU Leuven and Slaven Misljencevic, Policy Officer, DG RTD, European Commission.

Organisers: the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, the Swiss National Science Foundation and SwissCore

Programme: here

Summary of the event: here