2 months Ago
Scholars at Dutch universities, however, have suggested that the traditional image may not be accurate for today. The worry now is that academic freedom is declining in the Netherlands, with accusations against Dutch universities of quelling debate and avoiding difficult or radical conversations.
As noticed by some leaders at these Dutch universities. As a leader on an academic freedom committee and professor in 2011, some leaders warned that the space for critical voices, researchers, and thinkers is shrinking.
They continue to note that academic freedom should not be viewed simply as an abstract value; instead, it is central to progress, innovation, and democratic life. As noted by them, without university intellectuals willing to discuss and question difficult questions, universities could be said to be failing their role as engines of debate and knowledge.
Growing Criticism from Politicians and Scholars
The discourse on academic freedom has also made its way to the political realm. Some of the most visible criticism has come from a politician named Thierry Baudet, founder of the Forum for Democracy (FvD), Baudet states that controversial debates are no longer welcome at Dutch universities.
To this end, he notes his experience in Ghent in 2023, when an umbrella was thrust striking the speaker in the disagreement. He notes that this is an example of the organizers' concern about university administrators' comfort level in unpleasant discussions or emotional protests happening in public space.
This culture of caution, Baudet and others argue, has resulted in reduced occasions for difficult discussions. Rather than building resilience and prepping students to handle disagreement, universities seem to be retreating from risk. And the numbers look concerning.
The academic freedom index for the Netherlands, which is a way of measuring openness in higher education, has dropped significantly in recent years. In 2018, the Netherlands scored a strong 0.92. By 2024, that score had dropped to 0.76.
While that feels like a small drop, in the international context, the Netherlands now scores lower than most of its peers. Among Western countries, only Portugal, the US, and Greece scored lower. To their surprise, many countries in the Global South (like Burkina Faso) now score higher than the Netherlands in regard to academic freedom. For a country with a long history of democratic values, these scores raise alarm.
The Threat of Cancelled Events and Protests
Recent events on university campuses in the Netherlands demonstrate the increasing tension between safety, inclusion, and freedom of expression. Earlier this year, caretaker Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans was invited to speak at the University of Amsterdam, but, under pressure from anti-Israel activists, left the campus before he could speak.
There have been similar events that were either cancelled or faced challenges. For example, NATO General Rob Bauer and Defense Minister Kaisa Ollongren both had public scheduled events at Dutch universities.
However, instead of fostering open discussions with students and attendees, these events were completely canceled or executed under restrictions with no live audience. Organizers maintained that this was necessary to protect safety and limit disruption, while critics claim it goes against the very notion of a university being a space of discourse.
These events sparked charged discussions. Proponents of heightened controls assert that universities have an obligation to make students feel safe and that university spaces have to be inclusive. They maintained that protests are free speech too and also need to be respected.
Detractors counter that this means silencing voices, especially in regard to politically loaded issues such as defense, foreign policy, or conflict abroad. These critics insist that shielding students from uncomfortable discussions will not prepare them for the realities of the world outside of academia.
The Balance of Safety vs Inclusivity vs Debate
The crux of this dilemma is a difficult one: how do universities weigh inclusivity/safety with open debate? Universities must not put students at risk of harassment or violence, yet at the same time, the avoidance of polarizing or difficult topics will inevitably create echo chambers.
It seems to many that Dutch universities lean more to the side of safety and calm, rather than assessments of safety when debating or encountering difficult topics.
This annoying divide. Everywhere in the world, universities are facing issues with controversial speakers, divisive debates, and student action. In the U.S., for instance, free speech debates on campus are now a crucial part of political discourse.
But the falling academic freedom index in the Netherlands indicates that the issue is more than individual provocations – it signals a deeper cultural shift in how universities are engaging in freedom of thought and expression.
What's at stake?
Academic freedom is broader than merely allowing controversial speakers to appear. It is the preservation of a culture where it is encouraged to interrogate authority, to engage with uncomfortable truths, to challenge conventional wisdom, and to be provoked – a space that society as a whole can suffer when universities restrict.
New research may go unchallenged, innovative ideas may not emerge, and young people may emerge from university without the ability to engage in democratic debate.
The concern for a range of Dutch scholars is that if the current climate continues, the Netherlands may sacrifice its long- standing reputation as a model of open, critical education. The steep drop in the academic freedom index is a warning. The fact that countries with a less democratic tradition now score better is a further reminder that the Netherlands cannot assume its freedoms will always be preserved.
