Academic Freedom and the role of the University – a project for 2026
The project will run throughout 2026 to foster open, in-depth discussions among colleagues, raising awareness and engagement around issues of academic freedom.
Goals
The project aims to:
- create spaces for open and in-depth discussions among colleagues about academic freedom, and in so doing raise awareness of, and encourage engagement with, issues of academic freedom and gather the experiences and opinions of University staff and students.
- prepare a final version of the document Lunds universitets deklaration om akademisk frihet och universitetets roll i samhällsutvecklingen (Lund University’s Declaration on Academic Freedom and the Role of the University in Society) which can serve as a starting point for Lund University’s stance on issues relating to academic freedom and the role of the university in society.
Background
Academic freedom is a cornerstone of the quality and credibility of research and education. The autonomy of the university, as well as the intellectual freedom of researchers and teaching staff, is in itself a prerequisite for a democratic society.
A 2024 report by the Swedish Higher Education Authority shows that many researchers and teaching staff perceive academic freedom to be under threat, primarily due to external control, but also due to internal cultural factors such as conformity and the perceived parameters of acceptable discourse. Yet among researchers and teaching staff, conversations about academic freedom are rare. That is why Lund University has initiated a project to bolster awareness and create a joint declaration on academic freedom and the role of the university in societal development.
Academic freedom is under threat
The fundamental mission of higher education institutions is to freely seek out and disseminate knowledge. This quest for knowledge is based on the assumption that it is impossible to know in advance what knowledge and skills will be important or in demand in the future. Part of their mission is to question established assumptions and positions, to ask uncomfortable questions and, occasionally, to proffer controversial conclusions.
Academic freedom is under threat and on the retreat around the world. There are several factors behind the threats to, and the undermining of, academic freedom. The growing economic significance of knowledge has brought more political interest and greater political control. An increasingly visible struggle over knowledge is underway: over what is defined as fact for the purposes of societal debate and political decision‑making. It is not unusual for the threat to academic freedom to be linked to retreating democracy and growing success of autocratic powers.
In 2024, the Swedish Higher Education Authority presented a report on academic freedom in Sweden. A key part of the report consisted of a questionnaire survey sent to 10,000 teaching staff members and researchers at Swedish higher education institutions. Of the respondents, almost all teaching staff members, researchers and doctoral students stated that academic freedom is an important precondition for their work, while many are of the opinion that they lack knowledge of the area. Half of teaching staff members, researchers and doctoral students consider academic freedom at Swedish higher education institutions is now being challenged. Somewhat fewer, just under a third, felt that their own academic freedom was in jeopardy.
When these teaching staff members and researchers were asked to state what was challenging academic freedom, they produced a long list. The predominant challenges were:
- Political control and political influence more generally (29 per cent)
- Research funding and the research system in general (28 per cent)
- Homogeny, the perceived parameters of acceptable discourse and intellectual conformism (10 per cent)
The report also showed that:
- few teaching staff and researchers had asked for help from their own higher education institution when their academic freedom was challenged.
- of those who had sought help from their institution, only 17 per cent felt that they had received adequate support.
- as many as three quarters of respondents who felt that their academic freedom had been challenged stated that this had resulted in some kind of change in their behaviour, such as a changing research specialisation and avoiding controversial subjects in teaching and research.
The European University Association (EUA) has a large, comprehensive project measuring the degree of autonomy enjoyed by higher education institutions in Europe. It has published four reports since 2009, with the most recent being from 2023. The study is based on 30 different parameters, with data collected through questionnaires and interviews. The data collected is evaluated, measured and collated in four different groups. These groups are:
- organisational autonomy
- financial autonomy
- staffing autonomy
- academic autonomy. It is predominantly the higher education institution’s power over its education that is measured here.
The reports highlight differences in how higher education institutions are governed and organised, the nature of the relevant legislation, and how conditions vary between countries. Overall, there is a significant and growing political interest in higher education institutions in their respective countries, with expectations that extend beyond the traditional remits for education and research. The reports show that political interest is leading to greater control of higher education institutions and reduced scope for autonomy and self-determination.
Sweden’s ranking – out of 35 countries:
- organisational autonomy – 21st
- financial autonomy – 23rd
- staffing autonomy – 3rd
- academic autonomy – 17th
University Autonomy in Europe IV: The Scorecard 2023 (PDF)
The European Parliament study ‘State of play of academic freedom in the EU Member States’ examines the actual and perceived development of academic freedom in EU member states. The report is based on the EUA study and a number of other research studies, as well as a review of current reforms and debates on academic freedom in each member state.
The report concludes that the state of academic freedom in EU member states has been eroded. Relatively few changes have been seen among member states to strengthen and clarify legal protection. At the same time, the report notes that political control of higher education institutions has steadily tightened. In most countries, it has been a case of slow erosion, while in Hungary the situation has rapidly worsened.
International and national declarations and statements of position
A significant number of declarations and documents exist that define and highlight academic freedom in various ways. These documents vary in appearance, objectives and emphasis. Some are primarily concerned with the fundamental and universal principles and ideas underpinning higher education institutions. Other documents deal more specifically with academic freedom and the autonomy of higher education institutions. A few examples are listed below.
Magna Charta Universitatum was originally drawn up in 1988 to mark the University of Bologna’s 900th anniversary. The declaration has since been signed by more than 1,000 universities around the world. Magna Charta has had a major influence on how a university is defined; not least by helping to raise the issue of academic freedom and autonomy around the world.
The fundamental principles highlighted mainly concern:
- The university is an autonomous institution that must remain free from the influence of political ideological and economic interests.
- Education and research are inseparable.
- The university is to be a space for open dialogue and the exchange of knowledge.
The Kalven Report was produced in 1967 by a committee at the University of Chicago. The document was written in the shadow of anti-Vietnam War student protests that were occurring on most American campuses at the time. The report points to the unique role of higher education institutions in fostering the development of social and political values in society. In order to carry out their mission, they must maintain a climate of free exploration and be independent of political pressure.
The fundamental principles highlighted are:
- A university cannot take collective action on issues of the day.
- Nor can it insist that all of its members favour a given view of social policy since doing so comes at the price of censuring any minority who do not agree with the view adopted.
- The university has an obligation to provide a forum for searching and candid discussion of public issues.
Read the Kalven Report on the University of Chicago's website
The Chicago Principles were published in 2014 and underline the importance of freedom of expression and open discussions at university. The principles guarantee the greatest possible freedom to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn. The university is not to shield students and staff from ideas and opinions that they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive. Yet this freedom does not mean that individuals may say whatever they wish, wherever they wish. A climate of mutual respect must be maintained at all times.
Read the Chicago principles on the University of Chicago's website
The EUA’s principles on academic freedom state that academic freedom and institutional autonomy is increasingly threatened in the EU and around the world. The starting point is that academic freedom applies to all members of the academic community, including students. Academic freedom is both a right and a responsibility for individual academics and academic communities.
The statement of position was adopted by the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions’ General Assembly in 2024. Academic freedom is made up of several elements that reinforce one another. At its core, academic freedom encompasses both research and higher education/training programmes and is based on institutional autonomy for higher education institutions. Political control must be reduced and autonomy of higher education institutions better respected. The institutions need stronger legal protection and a customised organisational form. At the same time, the institutions themselves have a significant responsibility for safeguarding and promoting academic freedom.
The Human Rights Committee of Sweden’s Scientific and Literary Academies published a statement on academic freedom and its significance in research, education and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. The committee is made up of representatives from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, The Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities, The Royal Swedish Academy and the Young Academy of Sweden. According to the statement, academic freedom includes the right to independently choose research topics, methods and publication channels, free from political, ideological or commercial influence. It is viewed as a fundamental part of a democratic society and enables citizens to access independent and reliable knowledge.
In 2025, a working group produced Lund University’s draft declaration on academic freedom and the role of the university in society. The project is to prepare a final version of the declaration.
Students and staff at Lund University are most welcome to offer suggestions and comments on the project directly to the project group. Email them to akademiskfrihet [at] rektor [dot] lu [dot] se (akademiskfrihet[at]rektor[dot]lu[dot]se)
Lund University’s Declaration on Academic Freedom and the Role of the University in Society (in Swedish)
The project group
Vilhelm Persson is professor of public law at Lund University and has extensive experience of constitutional law and administrative law. He has conducted research on freedom of expression and ethical review and has had assignments as head of department and member of the University’s Council for Ethics and Academic Freedom.
Rebecca Selberg is an associate professor of sociology and gender studies at Lund University. She has published articles on academic freedom and cancel culture in both scholarly and cultural journalism contexts. Rebecca Selberg is senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology and her research is usually concerned with working processes, leadership and governance within the public sector, and the healthcare sector in particular.
Tim Ekberg is a senior advisor at the University and secretary of the government inquiry tasked with proposing a more effective organisational structure for state higher education institutions. He has written a number of reports about academic freedom and universities’ autonomy for the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions. Tim Ekberg was previously head of planning at Lund University, before which he worked at the Ministry of Education.
Contact
akademiskfrihet [at] rektor [dot] lu [dot] se (akademiskfrihet[at]rektor[dot]lu[dot]se)
Related documents
Additional meetings on academic freedom
During the spring, the project team will host meetings at all faculties. Information about meeting times will be sent by email directly from each faculty.
If you are unable to attend those sessions, you may instead register for one of the additional meetings, which will be held in Utsikten, BMC.
About the project
Project group
- Vilhelm Persson, Professor, Department of Law
- Rebecca Selberg, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
- Tim Ekberg, Senior Advisor, Offices of the Vice-Chancellor
Steering group
- Jimmie Kristensson, Vice-Chancellor, Chair of the steering group
- Agnes Andersson, Professor, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences
- Per Persson, Professor, Dean, Faculty of Science
- Veronica Gummesson, Head of division, LU Estates
- Johanna Sandahl, Development officer, Corporate Communication
- 1 student representative
Project period
November 2025–December 2026