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March 26 - April 1, 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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CHINA: Solidarity statement on behalf of scholars sanctioned for their work on China
Members of the academic and research community are invited to express their solidarity with colleagues affected by the Chinese government’s recent sanctions by signing this statement.
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THAILAND: Scholars at Risk highlights threats to freedom of thought in UPR report on Thailand
Scholars at Risk submitted a report on attacks on the higher education community to the United Nation’s Universal Periodic Review of Thailand, which is set to take place in November 2021. The report expresses particular concern over lèse majesté law, which criminalizes defamation, insult, or threat to the monarchy.
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AUSTRALIA: Australian campuses bid to save autonomy from Canberra meddling
John Ross, Times Higher Education, 3/29
Australian academics are worried that a new foreign relations law could impact universities’ ability to collaborate with foreign governments and, more broadly, maintain their institutional autonomy. The law comes on the heels of other interventions, including a free speech code, research grant vetoes, and enhanced security measures.
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UNITED KINGDOM: To protect academic freedom from external ‘threats’, we must reverse the decline of academic participation in governance
John Heathershaw, Higher Education Policy Institute, 3/29
Higher Education Policy Institute has determined four ways UK universities’ academic freedom is put at risk by internationalization: in international partnerships, fieldwork abroad, surveillance of expatriate faculty students, and from overseas funding.
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MYANMAR: Military occupies Myanmar campuses
Joyce Lau, Times Higher Education, 3/27
As of March 19, Myanmar’s military has occupied 60 school and university campuses across the country. In a letter to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Scholars at Risk describes how the recent coup could erase years of progress made in Myanmar’s higher education community.
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EUROPE: Opening up education opportunities for refugee scholars
Chiara Finocchietti and Sjur Bergan, University World News, 3/27
In 2017 the Council of Europe launched the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR through a pilot project involving four countries and the UNHCR. The project’s current phase encompasses 11 countries, started in 2018 and will run through 2021, while a third phase is envisaged.
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EUROPE: Democracy – and academic freedom – are under attack
Monika Steinel, University World News, 3/27
After a long period of stability, academic freedom and institutional autonomy of Europe’s universities appear to be on the decline following growing pressures on democratic values and human liberties, including in countries such as Turkey, Belarus, and Hungary.
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TURKEY: Turkey detains 50 more people after university protests
Reuters Staff, Reuters, 3/26
Turkish police arrested over 50 people, many of them students, protesting in support of 20 students detained on Bogazici University’s campus the previous day.
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MYANMAR: Violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters and the higher education community in Myanmar
Scholars at Risk sent the United Nations Human Rights Council a letter raising concerns over the human rights violations, specifically those against the higher education community, in Myanmar following the February 1 military coup.
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EUROPE: China fights back with sanctions on academics, institute
Yojana Sharma, University World News, 3/25
The imposition of tit-for-tat sanctions on researchers by China after the European Union imposed bans on Chinese officials has ratcheted pressure on academics, particularly those whose research involves topics deemed sensitive to China.
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UNITED STATES / TURKEY: Pitt’s first formal Scholar at Risk reflects on year at Pitt
Kiera Ledermann, The Pitt News, 3/25
Feminist scholar Hatice Simten Coşar enrolled in Scholars at Risk in 2018, after it became evident she would be unable to pursue her research in Turkey fully. Professor Coşar is the first formal Scholar at Risk welcomed by the University of Pittsburgh’s Global Studies Center.
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FRANCE: Academics under fire for studying race and racism in colour-blind France
Sarah Elzas, Radio France Internationale, 3/25
23,000 French researchers have signed a petition calling for the resignation of France’s Education Minister, Frédérique Vidal, following her call to investigate “islamo-leftism” at France’s universities.
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MYANMAR: Student protesters released, but many remain behind bars
Naw Say Phaw Waa, University World News, 3/25
Myanmar’s military suddenly and without explanation released 628 students from Yangon’s Insein Prison. The students had been arrested for their participation in peaceful protests against Myanmar’s military coup.
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CHINA / HONG KONG: Universities pressed to implement ‘security law’ education
Mimi Leung and Yojana Sharma, University World News, 3/24
Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee reportedly sent letters to public universities in Hong Kong, indicating that compulsory education on the National Security Law was necessary to secure funding.
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