Is Cambridge Chancellor right to call for “kindness” in wake of Jason Arday affair?
Cambridge Chancellor Lord Smith has called for greater ‘kindness’ in the wake of the Jason Arday affair. But what might that mean for academic freedom?
General
Jason Arday reported academic critic to police after questions over his research
Professor Jason Arday reported fellow academic Dr David Harris to police after Harris raised concerns about apparent errors and possible plagiarism in his work
Cambridge’s response to Jason Arday threats raises fresh questions over Roshaan Khattak case
The Guardian's Jason Arday investigation raises fresh questions about Cambridge University's response to threats against researcher Roshaan Khattak.
CAF warns of uncertainty over student free-speech complaints under new OIA scheme
CAF warns the OIA's draft guidance could leave students wrongly believing free-speech complaints are excluded before key statutory questions are considered.
University lecturer’s dismissal appeal leaves academic freedom questions unanswered
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has dismissed Russell Cherrington's unfair-dismissal appeal, but the judgment leaves important questions about academic freedom and Article 10 unresolved.
So. Farewell then, Bridget Phillipson
Bridget Phillipson leaves the Department for Education after delaying and watering down the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. CAF assesses her record.
Why stronger free-speech laws on campus are not enough
New legal protections for academic freedom matter. But as Ric Bienstock’s BBC documentary Speechless shows, the deeper battle for free speech on campus is cultural.
Lucy Powell and academic freedom: what does her record tell us?
Lucy Powell has become Education Secretary, but what does her parliamentary record reveal about academic freedom and campus free speech? CAF examines her votes, statements and the challenges she now inherits.
What do Exeter’s job cuts tell us about the future of curiosity-driven research?
The proposed redundancies at Exeter are about more than financial pressures, exposing a growing shift towards commercialisable research and government priorities that may reshape the institutional conditions on which curiosity-driven research depends.
Academic journal deletes peer-reviewed article to protect readers from “harm”
Academic journal deletes peer-reviewed article to protect readers from “harm”, raising troubling questions about academic freedom, editorial independence and the proper function of retraction following the removal of a Māori psychologist's article.