Academic freedom is a cherished aspect of academia around the world, yet a recent paper highlights how many academics are deprived of this fundamental right.  The Academic Freedom Index reveals that around 40% of people globally live in countries where academic freedom has declined over the past decade, including citizens of India, Brazil, and the United States.

The Index is produced by a network of over 2,000 experts from around the world, and the latest edition highlights the parlous state of academic freedom, with nineteen countries and territories experiencing declining fortunes, compared to just two where academic freedom improved.  These nineteen territories represent around 37% of the world’s population, which highlights the scale of the problem.

Academic decline

The decline was especially grave in India, Turkey, Brazil, and Hong Kong, but there were particular declines even in countries where academic freedom was historically high, such as in the United States and the UK.

“Academic freedom is a highly valued public good to which the Foundation is explicitly committed,” the authors say. “It is a prerequisite for good science. We support the Index because it makes an important contribution to generating more knowledge about academic freedom, its mechanisms and effect worldwide.”

The AFI has been tracking academic freedom for some time, and has data from 1900 through to 2021.  They tap into the expertise of over 2,000 experts from around the world, most of which provide insight into the country they reside in.  The expert assessments are then aggregated into a model for wider analysis.  The analysis revolves around five key indicators: the freedom of academic exchange and dissemination; the freedom to teach and research; the institutional autonomy of universities; the freedom of academic and cultural expression; and campus integrity.