David Farrar: NZ Initiative on academic freedom

The NZ Initiative has published a thorough report on academic freedom. I’ll quote some data, and then their recommendations:

• In the US deplatforming attempts have increased 600% from 20 to 140
• In the US sanctioning attempts against professors has increased over 100% from 10 to 200
• Internal surveys at Auckland University found only 15% of law staff and 36% of science staff agreed they could respectfully voice their views without fear of any negative impact
• In the US the ratio of left academics to right academics has gone from 2:1 to 6:1
• In the UK the ratio of left academics to right academics has gone from 3:2 to 7:1
• Confidence in higher education in the US has dropped by 37% amongst Republicans and 16% amongst Independents

Their recommendations include:

1. An annual audit of New Zealand universities’ performance in upholding their obligations to academic freedom performed by a Director of Free Speech and Academic Freedom or (DFSAF), the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) or the Minister for Tertiary Education.
2. An academic freedom survey of both students and academics at New Zealand universities.
3. Step back from engagements with well-documented links to the CCP and the People’s Liberation Army while continuing to engage with China in other areas of higher education and advanced research
4. Ceasing partnerships with military- linked universities
5. Anyone entering into a position of significant administrative power in our universities should be required to attend training in the basics of free speech theory and in universities’ legal obligations to academic freedom.
6. Strengthen the elements of internal democracy that still exist in our universities

I hope the Government and the universities take these up.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.