Authoritarianism is on the rise, and universities and students are systematically targeted in the effort to silence critical thinkers and political opposition.
Attacks on academic freedom have become common and frequent, and it has sweeping - sometimes deadly - consequences for scholars, students, and society at large. The attacks take places in authoritarian countries, but also in fully-fledged democracies we like to compare ourselves to, like the UK and US. According to the VDEM Institute, academic freedom is in decline for 50 % of the world’s population. No country or region is immune.
What is happening globally, why is it happening now and why should we care? Finally – what can we do to counter this development and strengthen the protection of academic freedom?
In the panel:
- David Bawi Tha Sang, Burmese student activist living and studying in exile in Norway.
- Karen-Lise Knudsen, Chair of Scholars At Risk Norway
- Siri Fjellheim, rector at NMBU
- Moderator: Aksel Vidnes, journalist and editor of forskning.no