“Plurality, not neutrality” Vice-Chancellor calls for action to protect free speech on campus

The foundational values that are central to university life – free speech and academic freedom – are under attack, according to Professor Adam Habib, Vice Chanceller of SOAS University of London. 

In his speech at the the University of Cambridge on Thursday 21 March, Professor Habib addressed Academics and higher education stakeholders at the Symposium. 

Professor Habib underscored the importance of academic freedom and freedom of speech in universities, emphasising how groups often acting in the name of defending academic freedom have different interpretations of its meaning and practice. 

rules should apply equally to all irrespective of political orientation

Professor Habib discussed the impact global events, such as the impact of the conflict in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine on the debate around academic freedom and freedom of speech within universities.  

In his speech, Professor Habib highlighted the paradox and hypocrisy of defending academic freedom:  

“Universities by contrast have a public responsibility to be aware of the distinction between illegality and offence. While we obliged not to tolerate the former, we must accept the latter even though we may encourage members of our community to engage, speak and write with empathy and care.” 

He added: “...rules should apply equally to all irrespective of political orientation and institutional announcements - as distinct from individual academic ones - must be in line with a university’s values and consonant from case to case.” 

The Vice Chancellor also cited the intolerances of alternative views, leading to a fear of expressing opinions within university settings and the creation of a political vacuum, namely for how it has allowed governments to intervene in the form of legislation to hold universities accountable for violations of free speech. 

Arguing against institutional neutrality, he said universities should enable a diversity of perspectives, stating it is “plurality, not neutrality that should define universities”. 

In his closing remarks, Professor Habib proposed some guiding principles for institutions to practice academic freedom, these are consistency, accountability, empathy and value-based plurality.