Expert shares work to protect academic freedom and safety with Secretary of State for Education

Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson has heard from a University of Exeter expert leading work to protect academic freedom and safety.

Ms Phillipson hosted a roundtable event which was attended by those working to analyze how foreign interference affects academic freedom, and how to tackle this issue.

Professor John Heathershaw briefed Ms Phillipson on his research on good practice within universities.

Professor Heathershaw and colleagues have developed a model code of conduct designed to deepen transparency and accountability across the sector.

The academics who developed the code—members of the Academic Freedom and Internationalization Working Group—are supported by civil society representatives and the All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group.

The code of conduct asks institutions to ensure all transnational collaboration helps to build academic excellence, and further enhance the standing of the UK HE sector and the academic community. Those involved in these partnerships should affirm frequently and publicly the importance of academic freedom and the safety of the academic community, and protect academic freedom and the academic community at all stages.

The code of conduct calls on institutions to undertake meaningful risk assessment and ethical due diligence when transnational collaboration is being considered, before any agreement or arrangement begins. This includes substantive background checks and an understanding of the reasons and expectations motivating collaboration.

There should be measures in place to protect academics and academic freedom where risks are identified, and mitigation measures if there is imminent risk to life, liberty or personal security. The code of conduct also calls for universities to be transparent—by publishing details of donations and partnerships—and accountable to their communities via annual meetings and other mechanisms to report concerns.

Those with knowledge of the country in question should be consulted about collaboration, and there should be effective procedures for confidential and independent internal reporting about threats to academic freedom and the safety of those involved.

The code of conduct says there should be specific support for members of the academic community at-risk or punished for exercising their academic freedom, including by supporting visa or asylum applications, responding to imminent danger and advocating publicly and privately on their behalf when they are imprisoned, disappeared or facing administrative and judicial sanctions;

Professor Heathershaw said, "As university leaders have become incentivized to enter into lucrative partnerships with authoritarian states, they must be transparent about these partnerships and accountable to their staff and students for these decisions. By adopting such a code of conduct, universities may safeguard the right to learn for all students and the academic freedom of their staff, regardless of their country of origin."

More information:
John Heathershaw et al, Model code of conduct: protection of academic freedom and the academic community in the context of the internationalisation of the UK HE sector, The International Journal of Human Rights (2022). DOI: 10.1080/13642987.2022.2148977

Provided by University of Exeter