The vice-chancellor of the University of Reading warns that universities risk losing diversity and promoting self-censorship. He criticizes the government and other university leaders for fostering a culture of closed-mindedness on campuses.
According to Robert Van de Noort’s speech at the Houses of Parliament, vice-chancellors should demonstrate bravery and actively promote a culture of diverse perspectives in order to combat the “echo chamber” of academics who solely focus on identity politics and government measures that prioritize following norms rather than encouraging innovation.
According to Van de Noort, the main danger to academic freedom is not the occasional cancellation of guest speakers on college campuses. Instead, it relates to a larger trend in higher education where individuals are increasingly exposed to only those beliefs that align with their own and alternative perspectives are disregarded.
Many other vice-chancellors have also noticed that their colleagues tend to censor their own opinions too frequently. This is because speaking up as the opposing voice in a group that generally agrees can often be seen as a risky career move.
Van de Noort criticized the government’s use of accountability measures that penalized straying from academic methods by denying access to research funding.
Reworded: The pressure to perform well on official evaluations is crucial for receiving recognition and funding, leading managers to prioritize appointing and promoting candidates who adhere closely to established research paradigms or mainstream teaching methods. This may discourage the selection of candidates with unique perspectives and ideas.
The individual argued that official evaluations of economics tended to show bias towards scholars who use neo-classical economics, disregarding other theoretical perspectives like feminist or development economics.
However, during the seminar hosted by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi), Van de Noort also criticized the University and College Union (UCU) for putting more emphasis on political matters, such as boycotting Israel or defending transgender rights, rather than prioritizing the concerns of its members and causing them discomfort.
Van de Noort, a professor of archaeology who has been in charge at Reading since 2018, emphasized the importance of maintaining stringent educational and research standards, providing a good return for taxpayers and students, and creating inclusive environments in universities. However, he also cautioned against homogenizing universities and losing their individualities.
We must be courageous in defending academic independence and approach with caution when engaging in ongoing discussions. If we fail to do so, universities run the risk of losing their diversity and becoming more uniform, which could have negative consequences for society.
Hepi’s CEO, Nick Hillman, stated that it is significant that university leaders have acknowledged the issue of threats to free speech on campus and are now working towards finding a solution.
“What matters most is supporting the academic freedom of university staff and the free speech of students while avoiding the well-laid traps of those who would relish more culture wars and who want nothing more than to embarrass universities as a fraught election approaches,” he said.
According to Hillman, universities may encounter new obligations concerning freedom of speech due to recent laws. He cautioned that certain vice-chancellors may be surprised if they do not adjust promptly.
Source: theguardian.com
