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academic freedom

noun

freedom of a teacher to discuss or investigate any controversial social, economic, or political problems without interference or penalty from officials, organized groups, etc.
freedom of a student to explore any field or hold any belief without interference from the teacher.

academic freedom

The right of teachers and students to express their ideas in the classroom or in writing, free from political, religious, or institutional restrictions, even if these ideas are unpopular.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of academic freedom¹

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The University of Birmingham said it had a "strong and longstanding commitment to freedom of speech and academic freedom" backed by its code of conduct.

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Compliance, however, amounted to consenting to what Stanford professor Adrian Daub calls "a controlled demolition, with each demand a charge to knock out another pillar of academic freedom."

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Harvard professors filed a lawsuit in response, alleging the government was unlawfully attacking freedom of speech and academic freedom.

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Columbia’s capitulation sparked an uproar among advocates for higher education and academic freedom.

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“It weaponizes antisemitism to attack intellectual and academic freedom as well as the university writ large,” said a letter signed by 77 Jewish professors at USC.

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academic dress academic gown

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