Academic

CAF has challenged Queen Mary University London's external-speaker policies, arguing they replace Parliament's statutory free speech protections with vague, extra-legal criteria.

The DfE is researching the impact of SLAPPs and legal threats on academic freedom. UK-based academics are invited to contribute evidence.

CAF has written to Bridget Phillipson and the OfS warning that new Prevent guidance on “permissive environments” could chill lawful academic speech and expand the use of outsourced “threat assessments” in universities.

Following representations from CAF, the University of Sussex has amended public-facing Prevent guidance that misstated the legal duty under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.

CAF has submitted a briefing to ministers and opposition parties arguing that the Sussex v OfS judgment should not be used to delay or dilute commencement of the new university free speech complaints scheme.

The OfS free speech complaints scheme is set for an autumn launch. CAF explains what it means, and how academics can prepare.

CAF analyses the 2026 Scottish election manifestos to assess their implications for academic freedom and free speech on university campuses.

CAF has written to a Russell Group university over concerns that mandatory EDI training misstates the legal test for harassment, risking a shift towards subjective offence and exposing institutions to legal challenge.

Concerns are growing over REF 2029 panel impartiality after a complaint about comments on gender-critical research, raising fears of a wider chilling effect.