Freedom is having the right and responsibility to act as one needs. This is especially important in a university where students must be taught to be able to think and to act responsibly for the present and the future.
Academic freedom is the very definition of a university. From the early days when universities or academics were established as centers of teaching and learning, the principle of academic freedom was the foundation.
Academic freedom is that kind of freedom that is required for all teaching and learning to be both effective and sustainable. It is only through academic freedom that any and all ideas and ways of thinking from all sources can be explored. It is the way in which knowledge not simply information is communicated. It is the way creativity can grow and the way in which innovation can flourish. It is how leadership and taking responsibility can be developed.
In today’s world, globalization affects everyone. More and more we need to work collaboratively with others in the world economy. The knowledge and skills required to cope are learned only in universities where academic freedom is practiced. Creative thinking, learning to respect oneself and others, sharing ideas, and innovation can only come from such an open environment.
Academic freedom involves more than the rights to free speech. It includes the right to determine what is taught and how it is taught in the classroom. This principle is important for both teaching and learning about respecting oneself and others, about moral behavior, about becoming more socially conscious and about taking responsibility for ethical behavior.
Practically, academic freedom is protect by institutional rules and regulations, letter of appointment, faculty handbooks, collective bargaining agreements, organizational culture, peer review, and academic custom. Nonetheless, it also involves taking account of the prevailing political situation, law, regulations as well as the social context.
In universities around the world, the principle of academic freedom is a foundation for teaching and learning. However, it does not mean that there is unrestricted freedom. For example, in the United States, according to the widely recognized 1940 Statement an Academic Freedom and Tenure, lecturers are cautioned to be clear when speaking publicly to avoid controversial matters that are unrelated to their expertise. When speaking or writing in the public space, lecturers are free to express their opinions without fear from institutional censorship or discipline and clearly indicate that they are not speaking for their institution.
However, there will always be controversies. In South Africa, Section 16 of the 1996 Constitution of South Africa provides specific protection to academic freedom. Nonetheless, a large number of controversies around the restriction of academic freedom at a number of universities occurred. The case of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, for example, identified a series of legal and disciplinary actions taken by senior university management against academics for speaking in public about the university. These actions have drawn wide criticism, both from academics and from organizations such as Cosatu and UNESCO. They were also the cause of a 2008 staff strike.
In the Philippines, as another example, the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that, “academic freedom shall be enjoyed in all institutions of higher learning”. The system works well as it is organized within a culture that uses peer-review and not external control by authorities.
Using the right to express oneself in a professional way within the limits imposed by free speech in a free society, it is natural part of responsible academic behavior. It should not be subject to arbitrary control by those outside the university environment. Certainly it should not be subject to interference from outside the university and result in job loss, punishment, or imprisonment.
Our Faculty of Social Sciences, Naresuan University encourages and supports lecturers, staff members, and students to enjoy an environment of academic freedom with social responsibility. We have a strong belief that academic freedom is associated with the movement to introduce intelligent design, systematic thinking and sustainable development. We reject any allegation of discrimination against proponents of intelligent design, as investigation can show no evidence.
In short, the term academic freedom for our Faculty is closely related to supporting, encouraging and creating a positive environment for all faculty staff and students. In order to encourage everyone to be involved according to the principle of academic freedom, we have introduced a numbers of social activities. These include “Get Social in 2 minutes”, FSS Journal Clubs and publishing our Journal of Social Sciences. Soon, we will organize “Social Chat” for all who want to share their ideas and get involved in general discussion about socio-cultural-political matters. So, please come and join us. If students (both post-graduate and under-graduate) want a platform or social stage to display their ideas publicly please contact Dr.Watcharabon Buddharaksa, Assistant Dean or our public relation officer, Mr.Monthon Jansawang.
Looking forwards to talking with you again,
Assoc.prof.Dr. Patcharin Sirasoonthorn
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences
Naresuan University