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February 5 - 11, 2021
Scholars at Risk monitors reports of threats to academic freedom and higher education communities worldwide, including media articles, blogs, opinion pieces and other announcements. Unless otherwise indicated (such as in articles written by SAR), the language and views contained in the search results reflect those of the originating author and/or publication and do not necessarily represent the views of Scholars at Risk or its members, affiliates, board or staff. An archive of the Media Review is available on our website.
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MYANMAR: Colleagues and family ‘distraught’ over academic’s Myanmar arrest
John Ross, Times Higher Education, 2/10
Fellow academics and the family of Macquarie University economist Sean Turnell have expressed concern over his arrest following the military coup in Myanmar. Before his arrest, Professor Turnell was acting as an economic consultant to Myanmar's ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
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FRANCE: Will American Ideas Tear France Apart? Some of Its Leaders Think So
Norimitsu Onishi, The New York Times, 2/9
French politicians and prominent intellectuals condemn the progressive ideas on race, gender, and post-colonialism that are believed to be emanating from American campuses. American universities’ identity politics and cancel culture, they say, have led to “ideological excesses” at France’s universities.
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IRAN: Iranian Professor Jailed After Attending Training Course In Prague
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, 2/9
Reza Eslami, a dual Iranian-Canadian national and professor at Tehran’s Shahid Beheshti University, was sentenced to seven years in prison by an Iranian Revolutionary Court for “cooperating with an enemy state.”
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POLAND: Polish Court Orders Scholars to Apologize Over Holocaust Study
Andrew Higgins, The New York Times, 2/9
A judge ordered two Holocaust scholars to apologize for "inaccurate information" included in a study about Polish people's role in the murder of Jews during World War II. The judge did not order the scholars to pay a demand for $27,000 in damages, stating that the court’s decision should not have a “cooling effect on scientific research.”
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EUROPE: What does the future hold for Europe’s universities?
Thomas Jørgensen and Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik, University World News, 2/6
Throughout 2020, the European University Association conducted a major consultation with more than 100 experts and visionaries. The result is Universities Without Walls: A vision for 2030, in which Europe’s universities look ahead to define their priorities for the next ten years.
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CHINA / HONG KONG: As academic freedom fades, it’s time to offer refuge
Kevin Carrico, University World News, 2/6
Under the national security law enforced by Beijing, Hong Kong’s universities, which once enjoyed robust academic freedom, are facing an academic environment that will likely only get more repressive. Learn more about what can be done to help support Hong Kong scholars and students.
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TURKEY: EU, international academics condemn detention of students
Brendan O’Malley, University World News, 2/5
More than 300 students and their supporters were reportedly detained in Istanbul and the capital Ankara in increasingly violent and politically charged altercations with the police this week.
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UNITED STATES: A Messy Debate on Academic Freedom
Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, 2/5
A University of Iowa dean apologized to a student after he was punished for expressing frustration at the university’s condemnation of President Trump’s Executive Order 13950, which banned federal funding for diversity programs on “divisive concepts.”
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GERMANY: HE and research face ‘historic watershed’, says council
Michael Gardner, University World News, 2/4
Germany’s Wissenschaftsrat (Council of Science and Humanities) has issued a policy paper pointing to weaknesses in the country’s higher education and research system, which the coronavirus crisis has highlighted.
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FIJI: Fijian officials deport Pacific university’s vice-chancellor
John Ross, Times Higher Education, 2/4
University of the South Pacific’s Vice-Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia was deported to Australia from Fiji after being told he posed a “public risk.” Professor Ahluwalia had previously alleged abuse of office against USP administrators.
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MYANMAR: Myanmar coup ‘could stall decade of higher education development’
Joyce Lau, Times Higher Education, 2/3
After suffering through decades of political turmoil, Myanmar’s universities were poised for international collaboration and growth. The recent military coup and communications blackout threaten to reverse those developments.
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INDIA: New ministry rules set curbs on academic freedom online
Shuriah Niazi, University World News, 2/3
Academics and institutions holding international, online webinars and seminars on India’s security and other material the government deems sensitive must now gain clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs. Academics fear the move will limit academic freedom and prevent the topics from being discussed.
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