Professor Kathleen Stock's talk about gender inequality at the Oxford Union earlier this year has raised fresh concerns over the rights of university students ahead of a key speech in London today.
There are “persistent and widespread concerns” that many in higher education are being silenced, “either by the activity of the university or by its inactivity”, a new freedom-of-speech champion for UK universities claims.
Professor Arif Ahmed, director for freedom of speech and academic freedom at the Office for Students (OfS), will give his first major speech at an event at King’s College London on Monday and set out his priorities for the role.
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His appointment by the Government earlier this year followed the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act and protests surrounding feminist Prof Stock’s talk to the Oxford Union over her views on gender identity in May.
In his speech, Prof Ahmed is expected to say: “Freedom of speech and academic freedom are fundamental to higher education.
"The core mission of universities and colleges is the pursuit of knowledge, and the principles of free speech and academic freedom are fundamental to this purpose.
“But there are now persistent and widespread concerns that many in higher education are being silenced, either by the activity of the university or by its inactivity.
"And that silencing may fall disproportionately on those who are most vulnerable.”
In a briefing ahead of the speech, Prof Ahmed said he has personal experience of others complaining about comments he has made, but in response he said being shocked and offended is an “important part of education”.
He said: “Occasionally I felt hesitant to question certain things, simply because I fear that there will be complaints or there’ll be some kind of pushback."
Prof Ahmed will say the OfS will take a “broadly viewpoint neutral approach” and will protect the “lawful speech rights of speakers at universities”.
He will add: “It makes no difference at all whether you are in favour of Brexit or against it. It makes no difference at all what side you take on statues or pronouns or colonialism, or abortion or animal rights, or Ulez.
“You can castigate the monarchy or defend it. You can argue that Britain is fundamentally racist – or that it never was.
"You can speak or write as a Marxist, a post-colonial theorist, a gender-critical feminist, or anything else – if you do it within the law.”
It comes after the National Student Survey found one in seven students said they did not feel free to express their own views.
The Government’s Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill became law in May.
The Act will require universities, colleges and students’ unions in England to take steps to ensure lawful freedom of speech on campus.
This does not include unlawful speech, such as harassing others or inciting violence or terrorism.
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