With the increasing focus on academic values, the European Commission proposes guidelines that support “a just, vibrant, and competitive research ecosystem”.
In recent years, concerns about tensions between higher education systems and core democratic values have increased in several countries, including in some EU countries. Debates about the appropriate relationship between public authorities and academic institutions have further intensified this discussion. Against this backdrop, fundamental academic values have moved into the political spotlight.
To address these challenges, the European Commission has published a final report proposing guiding principles on fundamental academic values. The initiative draws on the European Strategy for Universities, which highlights the central role of universities in addressing evolving societal challenges and a unique position “at the crossroad of education, research, innovation, serving society and economy”. The initiative is rooted in the Rome Communiqué of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and ongoing work within the European Research Area (ERA). The EU, ERA, EHEA and other European institutions recognise the importance to promote and uphold academic values. However, there is no common, comprehensive definition that lists these values in a consistent way. Defined by the EHEA, the six fundamental academic values are: academic freedom, academic integrity, institutional autonomy, staff and student participation in higher education governance, public responsibility for higher education and public responsibility of higher education. These values form the foundation of democratic societies and support the EU’s ambition to be a “Union of freedom, rights and values for all” as emphasised by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Switzerland, together with 48 other countries and the European Commission, is a full member of the EHEA. The EHEA framework commits its members to promoting and protecting shared fundamental values through intensified political dialogue and cooperation, as this is a necessary basis for quality learning, teaching and research as well as for democratic societies. Academic freedom as one of the popular academic values is defined as “freedom of academic staff and students to engage in research, teaching, learning and communication in and with society without interference nor fear of reprisal”. This definition seems very relevant when we look at societal change of value of academic knowledge and understanding. This can be seen in attacks on academics concerning foreign policy or growing sceptics of science.
Within the ERA, of which Switzerland is also a member, the fundamental academic values are key to protecting and fostering freedom of scientific research, training researchers and positioning the EU as an attractive destination for leading scientific talent. This can for instance be seen with the European Commission’s initiative on Choose Europe (see SwissCore article), which is supposed to attract international scientific talent. According to the report, the fundamental academic values therefore underpin “a just, vibrant, and competitive research ecosystem”. The urgency of safeguarding these principles is further highlighted by the establishment of the European Parliament Forum for Academic Freedom in November 2022. It serves as a platform for monitoring threats to academic freedom and fostering dialogue among stakeholders. In addition, Horizon Europe, to which Switzerland recently re-associated, follows a pact for research and innovation (R&I) in Europe, supported by the R&I security toolkit and the 2024 Recommendation on Enhancing Research Security.
Although the European Commission itself is part of the EHEA and therefore committed to the same fundamental values, the final report emphasises the need for EU-specific initiatives. Across Europe, numerous efforts already address academic freedom and related principles. Within the European Commission, for instance, DG RTG recently published a report (see SwissCore article). However, these initiatives vary widely in scope and implementation. According to the report, EU-level guidelines would offer the opportunity to: 1) concretely relate academic values to the context and current state in EU Member States; 2) connect academic values to EU legislation; and 3) support consistent implementation across the Union.
As the report outlines principles and measures with action points across various stakeholder levels, it can be concluded in general that fundamental academic values are a shared concern – spanning the academic community and institutions, quality assurance agencies, national public authorities, and the EU.