Academic Freedom: Key to Democracy and European Unity!

Academic Freedom: Key to Democracy and European Unity!

On March 25, 2025, the EUPeace dialogue event to “strengthen European values” took place in Brussels. More than 40 participants, including representatives from universities and policy makers, came together to discuss the central role of academic freedom for democratic societies. The event was organized by the partner region Pilsen and underlined the need to support universities and researchers worldwide who are suffering from restrictions. Access to education was highlighted as an essential goal to promote critical thinking and democratic participation. uni-marburg.de reports that the opening was by Prof. Dr. Evelyn Korn from the University of Marburg, Petr Osvald from the Pilsen region and Prof. Miroslav Lávička from the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen.

The keynote speech by Professor Hélène Pauliat from the University of Limoges discussed universities as promoters of democratic values. The panel discussion recognized academic freedom as the key to democracy, innovation and employment, with emphasis on the need for structural support programs for affected students. Concrete recommendations were made to strengthen exchange on scientific topics and interdisciplinary learning. This included anchoring European values ​​in campus policies and curricula as well as promoting public exchange. eupeace.eu adds that the EUPeace Alliance acts as a network for internationalization within the university community with the aim of promoting peace, justice and inclusion through education.

Academic freedom in focus

The discussion about academic freedom was a central theme of the event. In recent years, the pressure on this freedom has increased, which Monika Steinel, Deputy Secretary General of the European University Association (EUA), confirmed at the event. Given the seriousness of this issue, the EUA is planning a “toolbox” that will include concrete measures for universities to protect academic freedom. forschung-und-lehre.de emphasizes that academic freedom is a prerequisite for scientific progress and social development.

The dialogue event also emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in order to overcome academic silos. The proposals to strengthen academic freedom include, among other things, public support for affected academics through invitations to events and the opening of scientific conferences to the general public. The event confirmed that students are often the first to be affected by restrictions on academic freedom, highlighting the urgency of taking appropriate action.

In summary, the EUPeace dialogue event not only addressed the key challenges that universities experience in relation to academic freedom and European values, but also formulated concrete recommendations for action. The strength of a European higher education system rests on its ability to promote critical thinking and support students on the path to becoming active, informed citizens in a democracy.