Research Division Seminar
Academic freedom: what it is, how we protect it

Abstract

What is academic freedom? Why do we need it? What specific rights do we have as teachers and researchers? These questions are addressed in relation to the UNESCO 1997 recommendation for higher-education teaching personnel. It is observed that having good rules and regulations is one thing, what happens in practice often quite another. The final part of the talk lists the main current threats to academic freedom in the Western world and what can be done to counter them by efficient means, with a case study from Sweden.

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[English version below]

Extracto del Acta del Comité Director del IAC del 24 de noviembre de 2021:

“En relación con el seminario impartido recientemente en el IAC por el Prof. Erik J. Olsson (Univ. de Lund), la Dirección del centro lamenta profundamente que en el transcurso del mismo se realizaran afirmaciones absolutamente contrarias con nuestro firme compromiso con la igualdad de género y con los principios de nuestro Código Ético.

 Este profesor no se encontraba en visita de trabajo en nuestro centro. Su ponencia fue propuesta, de manera puntual, por un investigador del IAC a la Comisión de Seminarios, quien revisó el título y el resumen facilitados de la ponencia. Esta Comisión, por la información proporcionada, no podía deducir los contenidos totalmente inapropiados que finalmente fueron expuestos en varias transparencias y manifestados verbalmente por el referido ponente.

 La Dirección del centro expresa su rotunda desaprobación ante lo ocurrido y mantiene la medida de cancelar la distribución y el acceso a la ponencia a través de los medios de comunicación propios del centro; confirmando  la acción tomada, como medida preventiva por el Director, en el momento en el que se tuvo noticia de lo ocurrido.

 Se recuerda la responsabilidad que tiene todo el personal del centro con el cumplimiento de nuestro Código Ético, y los principios y fines del IAC en el desarrollo de nuestra actividad. Este compromiso es extensivo al personal externo que sea invitado para la realización de actividades en nuestro instituto.”

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[Text extracted from the acts of the Direction Committee meeting held on November 24th 2021]

"In relation with the seminar recently given by Prof. Erik J. Olsson (Univ. of Lund, Sweden), the IAC Direction deeply regrets statements made during that seminar since those statements fully oppose our firm committment towards gender equality and the principles of our ethical code.   

Prof. Olsson was not in an offical visit at IAC. His seminar had been proposed to the IAC's Seminar Commission by an individual senior researcher at IAC. This Commission revised the title and the abstract provided for this talk, from which it could not foresee the totally inappropriate content exposed in several slides, and verbally manifested by the speaker.

The direction of IAC expresses its absolute dissaproval of these events, and maintains its measure of blocking all institutional channels for the access and/or distribution of the recording of this seminar. Hereby we confirm that measure, which was adopted preliminarily by the IAC's direction when it was first informed of these events.

We remind all IAC staff of our responsibility towards the observation of our Ethical Code, together with the IAC's principles and objectives in the development of all our activities. This committment is extended to any external personnel that is present at our institution.”

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