Company number: 12497951
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Policies > School Governance and Management >

Free Speech and Academic Freedom Policy

Policy Statement

The School is committed to upholding free speech and academic freedom, essential for intellectual growth and vibrant discourse. We support an environment where all members can openly discuss, challenge, and explore ideas respectfully. Our policy ensures that academic freedom is preserved while maintaining a supportive atmosphere for diverse perspectives and civil debate, crucial for personal and academic development.

Guiding Principles

  • Expression: Encouraging the free exchange of ideas and opinions in a respectful and constructive manner.
  • Respect: Upholding respect for the rights and opinions of others.
  • Diversity: Valuing diverse viewpoints as essential to the richness of academic debate.
  • Responsibility: Exercising freedom of expression responsibly and within the bounds of the law.
  • Inquiry: Supporting rigorous and independent academic inquiry.
  • Tolerance: Fostering a culture of tolerance and understanding.
  • Safety: Ensuring that free speech is practiced without incitement to hatred or violence.
  • Balance: Balancing the right to free expression with the need to maintain an inclusive environment.
  • Integrity: Maintaining the integrity of academic teaching and research.
  • Legality: Respecting and adhering to legal parameters surrounding free speech.
  • Civility: Advocating civility in discourse as a keystone of constructive dialogue.
  • Review: Regularly examining policies to safeguard and nurture the School’s commitment to free speech and academic freedom.

Regulatory Context

This Policy has been developed in line with the applicable laws, regulations, regulatory advice, and sector best practices, including the following:

Authority Name Comments Url
UK Government Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (HERA)
A UK legislation that reformed the higher education and research sector, particularly by establishing the Office for Students and UK Research and Innovation.		 2
Office for Students (OfS) Regulatory Notices and Advice
Regulatory notices are additional information about OfS' regulatory requirements and are part of the regulatory framework. Regulatory advice helps providers understand and meet OfS requirements.		 0
UK Government Equality Act 2010
Equalities law to prohibit harassment and victimisation, and eliminate discrimination, including in the area of further and higher education, particularly with regards to specified personal characteristics.		 0
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) The Quality Code
This code represents a shared understanding of quality practice across the UK higher education sector, protecting public and student interests and championing the UK's reputation for quality.		 0
Advance HE Code of Governance for Universities
A code of governance that sets out the principles and standards that universities in the UK should follow.		 0
Committee of University Chairs The Higher Education Code of Governance
A code aimed at ensuring the highest levels of governance at higher education institutions. 		0

Academic Freedom

Responsible Title Actions
Executive Committee Rule
Academic Freedom and Free Speech Policy

The School is dedicated to safeguarding and advancing academic freedom, adhering to legal requirements and regulations:

  1. Academic Freedom: Academic staff can question established beliefs, propose new ideas, and express controversial views, provided this does not breach legal constraints or institutional rules.
  2. Validity of Viewpoints: Not all viewpoints are equally valid; ideas must withstand rigorous intellectual examination and be supported by evidence.
  3. Rational Discourse: Controversial ideas should be challenged with reasoned arguments and relevant evidence.
  4. Institutional Endorsement: Staff and students must not present personal views as the School’s official stance.
  5. Legal Compliance: All activities must comply with legal requirements.

This rule ensures that academic freedom is protected while maintaining the integrity of intellectual debate and compliance with legal standards. By clarifying these principles, the School fosters a respectful environment for open discourse while upholding its legal and ethical obligations.

Promoting Free Speech and Supporting Wellbeing

Responsible Title Actions
Executive Committee Rule
Balancing Free Speech and Civil Debate Policy

The School acknowledges that freedom of expression can sometimes be offensive or disturbing. To balance rights and freedoms, the School will:

  1. Support Civil Debate: Implement measures to encourage respectful and civil discourse within the academic community.
  2. Prepare Students: Equip students with skills to critically analyse and engage with challenging ideas, preparing them for future challenges.
  3. Balance Well-being and Speech: Ensure that both the freedom of speech for speakers and the well-being of those who may find content objectionable are supported, in line with legal requirements.

This rule aims to uphold the right to free speech while ensuring a respectful and supportive environment for all members of the School community. By promoting civil debate and critical thinking, the School supports intellectual freedom and protects the well-being of individuals, balancing these principles in accordance with legal standards.

Annual Review of Speech and Freedom

Responsible Title Actions
Executive Committee Rule
Annual Free Speech and Freedom Strategy

Each year, during the business planning cycle, the Executive Committee will integrate the following steps:

  • Develop and include specific objectives for promoting respectful debate and critical thinking in the annual plan.
  • Allocate resources and set milestones for training programs focused on engaging with diverse and challenging ideas.
  • Embed procedures for balancing freedom of speech with well-being support in the operational plan, ensuring that both are adequately supported.
  • Establish annual review mechanisms for academic policies to ensure compliance with legal standards and institutional values.
  • Regularly update and communicate policy changes to the academic community, incorporating feedback into the planning process.

Incorporating these steps into annual business planning ensures that academic freedom and free speech are systematically supported, continually reviewed, and adapted to meet legal requirements and community needs.
Responsible Title Actions
Executive Committee Rule
Policy Review and Compliance with Free Speech and Academic Freedom

The School will regularly review and update this policy in line with legal requirements and engage with the entire community during this process.

This rule ensures that all institutional policies adhere to legal standards and support free speech and academic freedom. Regular reviews and updates, coupled with community engagement, help maintain compliance and relevance, reinforcing the School's commitment to upholding these principles while adapting to legal and societal changes.

Metrics

The following metrics will be measured and regularly reviewed as performance indicators for the School to ensure the effectiveness of this policy and associated operations.

Title Comments
Academic Freedom Review
Conduct an annual review of academic freedom cases to identify trends and areas for improvement.
Helps to monitor the practical application of academic freedom and address any emerging issues. 		0
Civic Engagement Initiatives
Track the number of initiatives aimed at promoting civil debate, aiming for at least 5 new initiatives per year.
Supports the development of a respectful and open academic environment. 		0
Diversity of Guest Speakers
Monitor the diversity of guest speakers invited to discuss free speech and academic freedom, aiming for at least 50% from underrepresented groups.
Ensures a broad range of perspectives and promotes inclusivity in discussions. 		0
Feedback on Policy
Collect annual feedback from staff and students on their experiences aiming for a 75% response rate.
Provides valuable input on the practical challenges and successes of the policy in practice. 		0
Incident Resolution Time
Measure the average time taken to resolve incidents related to free speech or academic freedom.
Provides insight into the efficiency of the institution’s response to policy breaches and disputes. 		0
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