Exploring the limits and culture of academic freedom: Insights from the 2024 Falling Walls Science Summit 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.25453/plabs.28000115.v1

Published on December 10th, 2024

authored by Kailyn Schmidt, Public Relations Specialist

Academic freedom is a prerequisite for scientific advancement and innovation. It serves as the cornerstone of scientific inquiry, granting scholars the unfettered ability to explore, teach, and disseminate ideas without fear of censorship or retribution. More recently, academic freedom has faced mounting political, economic, and social pressures, bringing it back into the global spotlight. Safeguarding this freedom is essential for the continued pursuit of knowledge and the betterment of society. 

At the 2024 Falling Walls Science Summit conference in Berlin, Germany, academic freedom, and related topics such as research security and dual use, emerged as key themes, underscoring the necessity for interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration to address global challenges. Frontiers has been an active participant in this discourse, championing open science and providing a platform for diverse perspectives on academic freedom. This is reflected in Frontiers’ support of the European Parliament's recommendation to promote the freedom of scientific research, the “Powering academic freedom – Essential insights for policymakers” webinar hosted earlier this year, and the most recent panel curated by Frontiers at this year's Falling Walls titled “The Limits of Academic Freedom.” 

The panel, which represented an array of stakeholder groups involved in the discourse, delved into the growing threats to academic freedom in Europe and the implications for open science within an increasingly regulated environment. The discussion explored the critical aspects of academic freedom, the potential constraints on this freedom, and how it can best be nurtured. 

The focus then shifted towards culture, emphasizing the need for a collaborative environment, the role of stakeholders in protecting this freedom, and the value of a diverse research landscape in effectively addressing societal challenges. Frederick Fenter, chief executive editor at Frontiers, moderated the session. 

“There is a role for governments, political parties to stand up and say they are protecting their scientists and it’s very important that difficult messages [from research findings are] heard. The second role is around the metrics, the goals for funding agencies because there is a threat that they are becoming too narrow, it’s kind of a regression to the mean. And there is an important role of educators to take difficult subjects and reflect on them and follow the academic rules for these debates, because there is that component of protecting academic freedom that actually comes from the academic community itself. In order to protect academic freedom, you need all three [roles], and you need a good dialogue between the three.” 

As science becomes more intertwined with society, it’s hard to find an area untouched by scientific influence. While this promises many positive benefits, it also invites resistance, especially when science presents uncomfortable truths. Managing these tensions is key for protecting academic freedom, a responsibility shared by all stakeholders. 

Dijkgraff likened research to an investment portfolio, where a strong portfolio is diversified. Similarly, a healthy research ecosystem encompasses a spectrum from basic science to applied science, covering long-term research, and research nearing market application, among others. It also requires an environment, or a culture, that supports academic freedom, allowing for the pursuit of various types of research across different fields. Policymakers, funders, and academics can cultivate this environment through collaboration and open dialogue. 

He emphasized that the collaborative spirit effective in research can also be applied to academic freedom. By fulfilling their roles, stakeholders can create a culture that supports academic freedom, benefiting society. This collective focus allows challenges to be addressed directly, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility. As a result, trust is built among stakeholders and society, minimizing the need for unnecessary overreach or regulation by other parties.

“A society with a thriving university culture that has academic freedom at the heart, where there is trust between society and those who do research, is a society where good things can happen, where innovation can happen, and where there’s a pipeline to solve the problems we’ve got now and the ones that are going to come at us in the future.” 

To truly foster academic freedom, a shift in mindset is required. The scientific community must see itself as a collective, where each member contributes their unique strengths and skills – whether in basic or applied science, grant writing, interdisciplinary dialogue, or engagement with policymakers and the public – and where these different contributions are recognized and valued. There are many ways to bring science to the world, and it's not always as straightforward as linking research to an immediate increase in GDP or industrial outputs. The social and economic challenges our society faces, and will continue to face, demand a multidisciplinary approach and in many cases an interdisciplinary approach, collaboration that extends beyond the scientific community, and a long-term perspective. 

Universities play a distinctive role in this ecosystem in ways that are different and complementary to the roles of industry and business. They not only train the next generation of scientists, but also teach them to engage in ongoing dialogues, bring diverse perspectives together, and disagree well; all things that should be celebrated. 

Additionally, the mindset towards the scientific community and the relationship between society and the scientific community, this social contract, must evolve as well. We’ve witnessed a significant change in how society interacts with science in the post-WW2 era, where science was granted more autonomy and there was trust that the work of scientists would ultimately benefit society, even if the outcomes were not immediately clear. Over time, this relationship has become more transactional, contributing to the erosion of academic freedom and the role of universities. 

It's important to recognize that the value of science extends beyond immediate economic returns. The pursuit of knowledge for the sake of knowledge, the intrinsic curiosity that drives scientific inquiry, and the long-term benefits of an informed society are all integral to the mission of academia. By shifting our mindsets to appreciate the broader impacts of science, we can begin to restore the trust, autonomy, and responsibility that once defined the relationship between society and the scientific community. This, in turn, will empower universities to fulfil their role as bastions of knowledge and innovation, for the short and longer term. 

“As always, great freedom also comes with responsibility. We can look at this relationship as a [social contract] between society and the funded scientists: Academic freedom comes with the obligation [for scientists] to perform research in a responsible way, which means adhering to best scientific practices, such as, reproducibility and, open science, as well as ethical principles. This is an increasingly important discussion we will need to have in the coming years. We, as an academic community, as the administrators of the organizations that perform science, as well as the funders, need to work together in maintaining a system that preserves academic freedom from undue influence. It is our responsibility to do this in a responsible way to safeguard academic freedom.” 

As a researcher and the incoming president of the Swiss National Science Fund (SNSF), Schwede sees funding entities as guardians of academic freedom, capable of alleviating some of the external political pressures. Funders do this by providing scientists with the resources to conduct research across the spectrum, from basic to applied science, and across all disciplines, allowing scientists to choose relevant research topics “bottom up” and find their niche. They also help mitigate the impact of political pressures that can arise from societal reactions to current events, enabling researchers to work independently without undue external interference. 

In turn, researchers, as trusted experts in their field, have a responsibility to conduct their research according to best practices. This includes adhering to the principles of transparent and open science, reproducibility, and high ethical standards. When both funders and researchers fulfil their respective responsibilities, they stand to advance science and society. This collaborative relationship allows for a productive engagement with external stakeholders, directing time, energy, and resources towards gaining basic scientific insights as well as addressing societal challenges. 

“It’s important to not just go for the latest hype, but also to do the fundamental research. We need to celebrate and defend the fundamental research because while it may not give you any solutions tomorrow, long-term this knowledge will advance society.” 

Researchers are frequently met with the expectation to produce immediate, measurable outcomes from their work. Consequently, research funding often favors projects deemed more ‘promising’ or ‘high-profile.’ Stadler emphasizes the positive effects of some researchers having research budgets that come with minimal restrictions, allowing them to concentrate on the fundamental research of their field without the pressure to deliver instant results. This fundamental research has consistently provided – in the long term – knowledge and insights necessary for society to address challenges, even in unexpected situations. Stadler cites examples of researchers engaged in fundamental research who identified patterns in bacterial genomes eventually leading to the treatment of sickle cell disease, or mathematicians who, after years of fundamental research, were able to assist policymakers during the COVID-19 pandemic. These instances underscore the importance of a diverse range of research across disciplines, not only to offer solutions to the problems we currently face, but to gain knowledge that may help find solutions to problems that arise in the future. Moreover, these examples highlight a crucial aspect of academic freedom: empowering researchers to select their research topics and questions. 

“Until now, we’ve heard mainly about teaching and research as the dual mission of a university. A modern university has a triple mission [that includes] the transfer of [knowledge and] technology to society.” 

The concept of universities actively engaging with society to address its challenges, known as the ‘Third Mission,’ has gained prominence over the years. This mission extends beyond the traditional dual mission of research and teaching to include the social and economic activities of academic institutions. 

During the panel, Gutfreund highlighted the duty of research institution administrations to protect academic freedom from external threats, whether political, religious, or due to misinformation, and to regulate it on ethical grounds. The introduction of the Third Mission has made the task of safeguarding this three-part mission more complex, as it brings new conflicts to the forefront. While the dual mission of research and teaching had its own conflicts, they were primarily related to commitment. However, the addition of the Third Mission introduces concerns about research funding from private companies and the commercialization of research, which can lead to conflicts of interest. 

Gutfreund cited the example of tobacco research, where some institutions have accepted funding from corporations with vested interests in specific research outcomes. In response, some institutions have chosen to ban such funding, while others argue that doing so restricts academic freedom. To navigate these complex issues, Gutfreund advocates for institutions to foster a culture of awareness and provide opportunities to discuss the growing challenges, conflicts of interest, funding, and partnerships, all with the ultimate goal of safeguarding academic freedom. By creating an environment where these topics can be openly addressed, institutions can better protect the integrity of the research and ensure that academic freedom is preserved amidst the evolving landscape of higher education’s role in society. 

Frontiers Policy Labs continues the conversation on academic freedom. Professor Peter Maassen, lead author of the European Parliament Academic Freedom Monitor 2023 report, shares his perspective on preventing the further erosion of academic freedom in Europe.