Academic freedom of speech

Balancing the promotion of free speech with creating safe and inclusive learning environments can be challenging. It requires guiding conversations around difficult topics like politics, religion, and identity, addressing power imbalances to ensure that all voices are heard, and managing emotional responses and potential conflicts during discussions.

However, it also creates the space to build students’ resilience and capacity to interact with various viewpoints, critical thinking skills, empathy, and understanding across different cultural and ideological backgrounds. By addressing the challenges of these issues and embracing the opportunities they present, you can create learning experiences that equip students with the dialogue skills necessary for success at University and in professional settings.

To keep free speech and expression strong, it must be actively protected and we should work to widen debate and challenge, never to narrow it. We should encourage robust, civil debate and avoid punishing staff or students for lawful, unpopular views. Freedom of expression should not be abused for the purpose of unchallenged hatred or bigotry.

Providers of higher education should always aim to encourage balanced and respectful debate. That starts with teaching students about why free speech matters and how by listening to other views we can all learn.

The ability to discuss and debate with people who hold very different views is not without its challenges, but having the tools, techniques and platforms to do so is a vital part of how communities can co-exist together. See Appendix 1 for the more detailed definitions of academic freedom and FoS.

The classroom, whether virtual or in-person, is a dynamic space where issues relating to academic freedom, free speech, and geopolitical / societal change converge. This offers the opportunity to foster a culture where respectful debate should be encouraged, and different opinions can be shared openly, even when they may seem unpopular.

To foster free speech respectfully in a university classroom, staff colleagues should aim to create a safe and inclusive environment. active listening, This includes 1. establishing clear expectations with students 2.facilitating meaningful dialogue 3.creating safe and inclusive learning environments 4. being proactive about intervening.

Appendix 1

How to define freedom of speech and academic freedom.
Broadly speaking, academic freedom and free speech are defined as follows and offer a good starting point for framing the challenges for academic staff who teach.

Academic freedom

i) Academic freedom refers to the right of scholars and educators and students to teach, learn, research and publish without undue interference or restriction and it is foundational to the mission of UK universities (Waltham Smith, 2023). It includes:

• The freedom to pursue research and publish findings even if controversial.
• The freedom to teach content in a manner consistent with scholarly standards and ethics.
• The freedom to express professional opinions within one’s area of expertise (as long as it is framed within a critique).
• Protection from institutional or political pressure when engaging in academic work. It is typically bounded by disciplinary, subject and professional norms, peer review and institutional policies and is not an unrestricted free‑for‑all as it needs to align to ethical standards and academic rigour.

Free speech

ii) Free speech is a broader legal and constitutional right that protects individuals' ability to express opinions without government censorship or punishment within the limits of the law. In universities, this includes allowing students and staff to express personal views even if unpopular, inviting controversial speakers with diverse perspectives and engaging in activism within lawful bounds (i.e. no hate speech, incitements to violence or harassment).