First Academic Freedom Week at Humboldt-Universität

From 18 to 21 April, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin invites you to its first Academic Freedom Week. The focus of this event series is on scholars and students who were excluded from the research communities of their home countries and had to flee.

In its first Academic Freedom Week, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is focusing on researchers and students who can no longer live and do research in their home countries because of their ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation or political views. Institutions and research facilities that support these people are also taking part in this Academic Freedom Week.

The opening event, organised jointly with the Embassy of the United States of America, will take place on 18 April from 2 to 4.30pm in the Festsaal of Humboldt Graduate School. Ambassador Dr. Amy Gutman will give an opening speech entitled "Academic freedom and higher education in times of crisis". The event will also celebrate the launch of a regional Scholars-at-risk network for Berlin and Brandenburg. Registration is required for participation. Please send an email to Ms. Neda Soltani.

On 20 April from 12 to 1.30pm there will be a lecture and panel discussion organised by the Berlin University Alliance (BUA), entitled "Internationalisation and Academic Freedom - The Academic Freedom Index (AFI) in University Practice". The AFI is an attempt at conceptualising and measuring the situation of academic freedom in currently 180 countries and territories as well as over time. In the panel discussion, academics, university managers and representatives of initiatives for refugee and endangered academics will discuss the questions: What is the significance of the AFI in university practice? What are the opportunities and limits of a global coverage of academic freedom for universities? On what basis and how can universities position themselves internationally and enter into cooperations? The event will take place online. The link will be sent out the day before. Registration via e-mail is required.

On 21 April, the week will conclude with a full-day networking workshop for fellows of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation's project for refugee researchers from Afghanistan. Participation in this event is by personal invitation only.