Conference

Academic Freedom Conference

The University of Bergen conference on Academic Freedom will be held on November 2nd in Storsalen, Nygårdsgaten 5.

Tre University of Bergen conference on Academic Freedom will be held on 2. November in Storsalen, Nygårdsgaten 5.

Photo:

Sandra Jecmenica

Main content

The University of Bergen stands together with colleagues and students from across Norway and around the world in championing academic freedom. We believe that the deepest insights emerge from democratic intellectual communities that protect academic integrity and promote critical thinking and open dialogue. Academic freedom is under threat in countries around the world. Even in Norway it is vulnerable to direct threat and subtle erosion and requires vigilant protection.

We invite you to a half-day conference to share the stories of researchers and students who have been threatened to discontinue research projects or prohibited from researching altogether. During the event, experts will present an overview of key trends in academic freedom internationally, and senior members of the Norwegian education and research sector will discuss what is being done, as well as what we can do to strengthen academic freedom at home.

Panel 1 and 2 will be in English and Panel 3 and 4 in Norwegian.
Simultaneous interpretation from Norwegian to English will be offered for Panel 3 and 4.
This conference is physical and will not be streamed.

Program:

08.30	Breakfast Conference Host: Martin Paulsen, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, University of Bergen
09.00 09.05	Welcome: Margareth Hagen, Rector, University of Bergen Opening speech: Shalini Randeria, President and Rector, Central European University Title: National Sovereignty and Threats to Academic Freedom of Universities
09.15	Keynote address: Jorge A. Huete, Professor, Georgetown University and Academy of Sciences of Nicaragua Title: Challenges to Academic Freedom and University Autonomy: Unveiling its Global Significance
09.45	Vignette 1 Dan Brinks, Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, USA
09.50	Panel 1: Threats to academic freedom – international perspectives Associate Professor Kyle Lohse Marquardt presents research findings showing the prevalence of academic freedom internationally A conversation: Jorge A. Huete, Professor, Georgetown University and Academy of Sciences of Nicaragua Francis Oloko, Assistant Professor, University at Buffalo and former Scholar at Risk Scholar at the University of Bergen Sweeta Akbari, The Institute of International Education´s Scholar Rescue Fund, Postdoctoral Fellow, Tampere University Moderator: Jostein Hole Kobbeltvedt, Executive Director, The Rafto Foundation for Human Rights
10.20	Coffee break with snacks
10.40	Vignette 2 Tarteel Eissa, StAR student at the University of Bergen
10.45	Panel 2: Addressing threats to academic freedom - student led responses Selma Bratberg, President of the Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund Bhekumusa Dlamini, former StAR student at University of Bergen Kaja Hovdenak, Leader of the Studentparlament at the University of Bergen Maryna Visnes, Ukrainian Student Union in Bergen Moderator: Sjur Selsvik, Chariman, Velferdstinget Vest
11.15	Vignette 3 Namita Wahi, Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, India
11.20	Panel 3: Academic freedom in Norway Who defines society’s research needs, and how free are researchers at Norwegian research institutions to fulfill them? A conversation with: Margareth Hagen, Rector at the University of Bergen Camilla Stoltenberg, CEO, NORCE and Professor II at the Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Bergen Moderator: Ragna Aarli, Vice Dean for Research at the Faculty of Law, University of Bergen. Member of the Norwegian Freedom of Speech Commission (2020-2022)
11.50	Panel 4: Barriers to academic freedom – perspectives from Norwegian researchers A conversation: Henrik Berg, Professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology, and Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities, University of Bergen. Linda Gröning, Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Bergen. Leads the permanent expert commission on criminal law reforms in Norway Margareth Hagen, Rector at the University of Bergen Konrad Tywoniuk, Associate Professor and Group Leader of the Theoretical Physics Group, Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen Moderator: Saira Basit, Dean at the Norwegian Defence University College. Member of the Expert Group for Academic Freedom of Expression that submitted a report to the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research in 2022
12.25	Closing remarks: Benedicte Carlsen, Professor and Vice-Rector for Research and International Relations at the University of Bergen, and Head of UiBs Committee for the Scholars at Risk Network and IIE-Scholar Rescue Fund Alliance
12.30	Lunch buffet

Conference

02.11.2023 - 09.00–12.30

Storsalen, Nygårdsgaten 5, University of Bergen, 5015 Bergen

Kristin Hansen

Registration deadline

31.10.2023 - 12.00

Add to calendar

02.11.2023