The UK has fallen significantly in an international league table of academic freedom, the new universities free speech chief has warned.
Arif Ahmed, director of free speech at the Office for Students, used his first address in the role to highlight data that shows academic freedom in the UK has dropped in the last 10 years and it now ranks around 60th in the world for academic freedom, well below nearly all EU countries.
Professor Ahmed also pointed to evidence that shows students are increasingly avoiding inviting controversial speakers to universities, and said a poll of academics found 35 per cent in the UK were self-censoring, compared to 19 per cent in the EU.
He also highlighted the findings of the 2023 National Student Survey which show one in every seven students in England feels unable freely to express their own views at university.
Speaking at King’s College London today, Professor Ahmed said on Monday: “There are now persistent and widespread concerns that many in higher education are being silenced, either by the activity of the university or by its inactivity.
“And that silencing may fall disproportionately on those who are most vulnerable. On the student who might join university eager to debate contentious issues about gender identity, or gay rights in Islamic law, or the Black Lives Matter movement. To discover that those issues are avoided, that seminars steer away from such topics.
“Or on the lecturer who may face a disciplinary process following complaints from students about their inclusion of certain texts in the course reading list. Or on the trainee who is told they are ‘unfit to practise’ in a particular profession because of lawful, but contentious, views that they have expressed in a class.”
Professor Ahmed vowed not to take sides in “culture wars” or toe a political line, and announced a complaints system will be introduced for those who believe universities or student unions are blocking their free speech.
His action comes as the Standard is running an inquiry into the dangers facing freedom of speech.
