Academic Freedom Institute

Academic Freedom Institute 

Academic freedom is a norm that is often invoked but rarely understood. Connoting a complex set of institutional practices and normative ideals, it consists of a set of corporate protections by which individual scholars are free to pursue research questions, without administrative sanction. Its contours are distinct from, but also derivative of, broader ideas of free speech. Speech that might be generally legal may be inappropriate for the classroom or research lab, but at the same time courts and the broader culture have affirmed that the academy is a special environment that involves great freedom to research and teach.

The Academic Freedom Institute is designed for both administrators and academics who wish to learn about these issues in greater depth. It combines course with leading thinkers and a set of practical workshops where participants will grapple with concrete scenarios in which to apply the general principles. Teams from participating universities will be tasked with presenting a preliminary self-report on structures for academic freedom at their campus, and to develop a plan for institutional implementation, after the workshop concludes. Participants will receive a certification of completion from the University of Chicago. 

Information for the 2025 sessions will be announced soon.