Academic Freedom in the Context of Societal Transformations: Based on Survey Data
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31767/su.1(112)2026.01.06Keywords:
academic freedom, academic freedom monitoring and assessment methods, surveys, self-censorship, cancel culture, comparative analysis, higher educationAbstract
The article examines the state and dynamics of academic freedom in the context of contemporary global challenges. The existing methodological toolkit for assessing university freedoms is analyzed, specifically the Academic Freedom Index (AFI), the University Autonomy Scorecard, Scholars at Risk monitoring, and Freedom House reports. Particular attention is paid to a comparative analysis of online survey results from academic staff in the EU (2013–2015), the United Kingdom (2016), and Ukraine (2025). The study is a logical continuation of the author’s research cycle based on a survey conducted at the State Scientific Institution "Institute of Education Content Modernization". For the first time, an expanded characterization of national and international surveys on academic freedom for the period 2007–2025 is provided, including projects by INCHER-Kassel, UCU, AAC&U, and AAUP. The systematization is conducted according to survey objectives, funding volumes, data collection methods, instrument structure, target audience, and geographical coverage. Special emphasis is placed on outlining the advantages and disadvantages of the survey method in this field. It is determined that the primary benefits include cost-effectiveness, psychological comfort for respondents, and the ability to study sensitive topics such as self-censorship. Simultaneously, critical challenges are identified: risks of respondent self-selection, ambiguity of terminology, and threats of social desirability bias. The results demonstrate Ukraine’s significant progress in formalizing the protection of academic freedoms: the level of awareness regarding regulatory documents in Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) reached 70.1% (compared to 15% in EU countries). A paradox is identified: despite a lower level of self-censorship in Ukraine (20.1%) compared to the UK and the EU, hidden forms of administrative pressure remain a current threat. The necessity of implementing systemic empirical monitoring to protect academic freedom in the context of digitalization and social transformations is proven.
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