“Academic freedom does not disappear in one day”: University of Latvia professor warns of new risks for science
A University of Latvia professor warns that academic freedom is being gradually eroded by bureaucratic pressure and an over-emphasis on immediate, measurable practical results. She argues that such restrictions, often subtle, threaten the long-term development of scientific knowledge.
Why it matters
It highlights the tension between government demands for economic utility in research and the necessity of independent inquiry for scientific progress.
“Academic freedom does not disappear in one day”: University of Latvia professor warns of new risks for science
According to Osipova, academic freedom means the right of a researcher to independently choose the topic of their scientific work, research methods, and the way to publish results. This independence, she believes, allows science to develop and create new knowledge.
At the same time, the professor warns that uniform requirements for all scientific disciplines and a focus solely on quickly measurable practical results may reduce the level of creative exploration and limit the emergence of new ideas.
In her opinion, such changes occur gradually and are not always immediately noticeable. Osipova recalled the words of Professor Kirsten Roberts Lyer from the University of Vienna, stating that academic freedom rarely disappears all at once — more often it is gradually restricted by changes in rules, evaluation systems, and mechanisms for managing science.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in