STOA high-level conference – Academic Freedom in Support of Democracy
Academic freedom is widely recognised as a key condition for functioning of open and democratic societies that adhere to the rule of law. Similarly, full realisation of academic freedom is unlikely when these values are being challenged. At the times when academic freedom and trust in science gradually erode in Europe, this annual STOA conference focuses on the relationship between academic freedom and democracy, as well as policy initiatives that support these values.
The conference will allow policy makers and scholars discuss the following questions: What is the role of academic freedom in democracy? What are the policies and policy initiatives that acknowledge their relationship and support them? What trends do we observe in the state of both democracy and academic freedom?
PROGRAMME
Moderator: Robert-Jan SMITS, President of the Netherlands House of Education and Research
14.00 – 14.30 Opening and keynote speeches
· Opening: Christian EHLER, STOA Chair, Member of the European Parliament
· Keynote speech: Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament
· Keynote speech: Cypriot EU Council Presidency
· Keynote speech: Ekaterina ZAHARIEVA, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation
14.30 – 15.30 Democracy and the role of academic freedom
· Academic keynote “What is democracy today and how we measure it”: Professor Svend-Erik SKAANING, Aarhus University, Department of Political Science
Panel discussion with:
· Christian EHLER, STOA Chair
· Carolina PLESCIA, University of Vienna, Department of Government
· Tomas TOBÉ, EU Democracy Shield Committee, Rapporteur, Member of European Parliament
· European Commission, Directorate General for Research and Innovation
15.30 – 16.00 Break
16.00 – 16.50 Latest trends in academic freedom: findings of EP Academic Freedom Monitor 2025
· Peter MAASSEN, University of Oslo, author of Academic Freedom Monitor 2025
· Paola MATTEI, University of Milan, author of Academic Freedom Monitor 2025
· Vasiliki KOSTA, University of Leiden, author of Academic Freedom Monitor 2025
· Lina GALVEZ, STOA Vice-Chair, Member of European Parliament
16.50 – 17.00 Closing remarks
Ivars IJABS, STOA Vice-Chair, Member of European Parliament