This is the third session of the King's Presidential Series on Academic Freedom. It will focus on the need and feasibility of a common global reference for academic freedom.

The webinar includes two panel discussions with a global online audience.

Programme

12.15 BST - Introductory remarks

Shitij Kapur, President & Principal, King's College London.

12.20 BST - Background paper

Liviu Matei, Head, School of Education, Communication & Society, King's College London.

You can access here Prof Matei's paper.

Session 1: Contemporary challenges to academic freedom: global, regional, national or local? 12.30 - 14.00 BST.

Speakers will explore current challenges to academic freedom in their respective region or country. They will discuss whether existing, new or to-be-developed shared references - such as common conceptualisations, codifications, or regulations for academic freedom - could help address these challenges.

Panel:

• Santiago Amaya, Chair, Department of Philosophy and Co-director, Moral Judgement and Emotions Lab, Universidad de los Andes Bogota Colombia, Colombia.
• Stéphanie Balme, Dean, Sciences Po University College, Sciences Po Academic Freedom Officer, Professor at Paris School International Affairs and Research Director at CERI/Sciences Po, France.
• Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, India.
• Monika Steinel, Deputy Secretary General, European University Association, Belgium. [Chair]
• Adrienne Stone, Melbourne Laureate Professor, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Session 2: What conceptual and practical framework for a global shared reference for academic freedom? 14.30 - 16.00 BST.

The panel will reflect on questions such as: do common global references already exist? Is there a need to develop new ones? How to frame global shared references - as values, human rights, fundamental rights, governance principles, etc.? Is a discussion about decolonising academic freedom necessary?

Panel:

• Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Ghana, Leccon, Acra, Ghana. [Chair]
• Katrin Kinzelbach, Visiting Professor, Transnational Law Institute/Dickson Poon School of Law, King's College London and Professor of International Politics of Human Rights, Institute for Political Science, Friedrich Alexander University, Germany.
• Robert C. Post, Sterling Professor of Law, Yale Law School, USA.
• Catharine R. Simpson, Professor of English, University Professor, New York University, USA.

A zoom link will be shared with the attendees closer to the time of the event.

This was the third event of the King's Presidential Series on Academic Freedom.