A CA D E M IC F R E E D O M

• “LOGIC WILL GET YOU FROM A TO B. IMAGINATION WILL

TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE”.

• “IT IS THE SUPREME ART OF THE TEACHER TO AWAKEN JOY

IN CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND KNOWLEDGE”.
IN THE -ALBERT EINSTEIN

WORDS OF
MASTERS….. • “THE MIND, SHARP BUT NO BROAD, STICKS AT EVERY
POINT BUT DOES NOT MOVE”.

• “GOD’S SILENCE RIPENS MAN’S THOUGHT INTO SPEECH”.

-RABINDRANATH
TAGORE
PREVIEW • Controversies of Academic Freedom
• Academic Freedom – A belief
• Conflict in Definition • Academic Freedom in India
• Rationale  The Kazhikode Case
• Importance of Academic Freedom  Academic Freedom – India v/s West
• American Association of University Professor  Affiliation and Academic Freedom
• Academic Freedom – What it does do and doesn’t  The real scenario and threats of Academic
• Academics for Academic Freedom (AFAF) Freedom in India
• Academic Freedom rights for Faculty, Institution and • Conclusion
Students • References
• Academic Freedom – Around the World – France,
Germany, Philippines, South Africa, United State
• 1940 Statement of Principle on Academic Freedom and
Tenure
• Is Tenure is necessary to protect Academic Freedom
• Conflict with implementation and institutional
Academic Freedom rights
ACADEMIC FREEDOM – A BELIEF
ACADEMIC FREEDOM, is the freedom of teachers and students to teach, study
and pursue knowledge and research without unreasonable interference or restriction
from law, institutional regulations, or public pressure.
CONFLICT OF DEFINITION
The term, “Academic Freedom” tends to be difficult to define because its technical
definitions come from preferred educational custom and practice (professional
norm), faculty contracts (professional norm), and from legal findings related to
constitutional and contract law (legal norm).

In it’s everyday usage, its definition is more likely to come from the folkways and
mythology that often define educational culture.
RATIONALE…..
Proponents of academic freedom believe the freedom of inquiry by students and
faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy. They argue that
academic communities are repeatedly targeted for repression due to their ability to
shape and control the flow of information. When scholars attempt to teach or
communicate ideas of facts that are inconvenient to external political groups or to
authorities, they may find themselves targeted for public vilification, job loss,
imprisonment, or even death.

In North Africa, a professor of public health discovered that his country’s

infant mortality rate was higher than government figures indicated. He lost his
job and was imprisoned.
IMPORTANCE OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM…
• Essential to the mission of the academy
• Without protection, academic communities are repressed for their ability to
shape knowledge
 According to a reflection by Robert Quinn, historically, the power to shape
knowledge is a source of power. Authorities have sought to control societies
by controlling scholars
• We should care about increasing the quality and flow of information and
understanding in the world (academic freedom and scholarship promotes these
goals)
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR
(AAUP)
• According to AAUP,….”institutions of higher education are conducted for the
common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or
the institution as a whole. The common good depends upon the free search for
truth and its free exposition”.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM – WHAT IT DOES DO….
• Both faculty members and students can engage in intellectual debate without fear of censorship or
retaliation.
• Establishing a faculty members right to remain true to his or her pedagogical philosophy and intellectual
commitments. It preserves the intellectual integrity of our educational system and thus serves the public
good.
• Both faculty members and students can make comparisons and contrasts between subjects taught in a
course and any field of human knowledge or period of history.
• Academic freedom gives both students and faculty the right to express their views – in speech, writing, and
through electronic communication, both on and off campus – without fear of sanction.
• Academic freedom gives both students and faculty the right to study and do research on the topics they
choose and to draw what conclusions they find consistent with their work is valuable and their conclusions
sound.
• Political, religious, or philosophical beliefs of politicians, administrators, and members of the public cannot
be imposed on students or faculty.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM – WHAT IT DOES DO….
• Both faculty members and students can engage in intellectual debate without fear of censorship or
retaliation.
• Establishing a faculty members right to remain true to his or her pedagogical philosophy and intellectual
commitments. It preserves the intellectual integrity of our educational system and thus serves the public
good.
• Both faculty members and students can make comparisons and contrasts between subjects taught in a
course and any field of human knowledge or period of history.
• Academic freedom gives both students and faculty the right to express their views – in speech, writing, and
through electronic communication, both on and off campus – without fear of sanction.
• Academic freedom gives both students and faculty the right to study and do research on the topics they
choose and to draw what conclusions they find consistent with their work is valuable and their conclusions
sound.
• Political, religious, or philosophical beliefs of politicians, administrators, and members of the public cannot
be imposed on students or faculty.