Academic Freedom Media Review: March 4 - 10, 2022

Posted: 11-03-2022 02:08 | Views: 622

March 4 - 10, 2022

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.

GLOBAL: An Interview with Robert Quinn, Founding Executive Director of the Global Network Scholars at Risk [FRENCH/ENGLISH]

Vanessa Frangville, Gwennaël Gaffric, and Robert Quinn, Journal of Global Cultural Students, 3/10

Scholars at Risk’s Executive Director Robert Quinn speaks with Vanessa Frangville & Gwennaël Gaffric about academic freedom and the work of Scholars at Risk.

GLOBAL: Do academic boycotts work?

Simon Baker, Times Higher Education, 3/9

Western academics are considering the benefits and consequences of maintaining academic ties between themselves and their Russian counterparts following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Scholars at Risk’s Executive Director Robert Quinn believes that academic boycotts, in general, “should only be [done] with the utmost of care and really narrowest of circumstances”.

RUSSIA: “I will not reassure you: these students are doomed”: St Petersburg University expels students detained at protests against the military operation

Kommersant via The Moscow Times, 3/9

The administration at St. Petersburg State University, the oldest university in Russia, issued expulsion orders for three students who were detained while participating in anti-war rallies, protesting Russia’s invasion and assault on Ukraine.

GLOBAL / RUSSIA: UN General Assembly should suspend Russia’s membership of UN Human Rights Council

Scholars at Risk, 3/8

Scholars at Risk signed an open letter, endorsed by nearly 50 NGOs, calling on Member States of the United Nations to suspend the rights of the Russian Federation as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, for committing violations of international human rights law in Ukraine and Russia.

TURKEY: 3 academics appointed from outside Boğaziçi University to replace dismissed deans

Bianet, 3/7

Boğaziçi University’s administration announced via Twitter the replacements for three elected deans who were previously removed from office. Boğaziçi’s academics have been engaged in ongoing protests against the elected deans’ removals.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Classes resume after striking lecturers and government talks

Augustin Sadiki, University World News, 3/7

Classes and other academic activities at all universities and higher learning institutions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo resumed on March 3rd following a two-month-long strike. Academic staff had been protesting mistreatment by the government, including low salaries.

EUROPE / RUSSIA: European University Association suspends Russian members over pro-war statement

David Matthews, Science Business, 3/7

The European University Association suspended 12 Russian universities whose rectors signed a statement supporting Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The rectors’ statement indicated support for the country’s army and president, noting it is their “fundamental duty” to “teach our students to be patriotic and to strive to help their motherland.”

UNITED STATES: SD Senate passes ban on ‘divisive’ university race trainings

Stephen Groves, Associated Press, 3/7

South Dakota’s Senate passed a proposal from Gov. Kristi Noem to ban public universities from using training and orientation material that compels people to feel “discomfort” based on their race. Gov. Noem has billed the proposal as a repudiation of “critical race theory.”

THAILAND: Ejection of union president spotlights Thai generational divide

Pola Lem, Times Higher Education, 3/7

Thai student groups are in uproar after Chulalongkorn University said it would remove the elected president of the university’s students’ union, Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, for inviting anti-monarchy speakers to an event.

EUROPE: European Union halts scientific cooperation with Russia

Brendan O’Malley, University World News, 3/5

The European Commission decided to halt cooperation with Russian research, science and innovation entities in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Commission will not conclude any new contracts with Russian organizations under the European Union’s research and innovation funding program, Horizon Europe.

EUROPE: Europe must be a safe haven for students and academics

Matteo Vespa, University World News, 3/4

European Students’ Union’s Matteo Vespa comments on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, what it means for Ukrainian students and academics forced to flee the country, and how the rest of Europe should respond with support.

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