Konferanse

Academic Freedom Conference

The University of Bergen conference on Academic Freedom will be held on November 2nd in Storsalen, Nygårdsgaten 5. This conference is physical and will not be streamed.

Hovedinnhold

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. At the same time, we are aware that academic freedom is under threat, both in Norway and internationally.

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.

Registration

Panel 3 and 4 will be held in Norwegian. Simultaneous interpretation from Norwegian to English will be offered. 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.
09.15	Keynote address: Jorge Huete-Pérez, Senior Vice President, Universidad Centroamericana, Nicaragua.
09.45	Vignettes 1 Professor Dan Brinks, University of Texas at Austin, USA. Senior Fellow Namita Wahi, Centre for Policy Research, India.
09.50	Panel 1: Threats to academic freedom – international perspectives A conversation: Francis Oloko, Assistant Professor, University at Buffalo. Former Scholar at Risk Scholar at the University of Bergen. Jorge Huete-Perez, Senior Vice President, Universidad Centroamericana, Nicaragua. Scholar (TBA), The Institute of International Education´s Scholar Rescue Fund – IIE-SRF. Moderator: Jostein Hole Kobbeltvedt, Executive Director, The Rafto Foundation for Human Rights.
10.20	Coffee break
10.40	Vignettes 2 Sait Matty Jaw, Lecturer at the University of Gambia. Former Student at Risk - student at the University of Bergen. Tarteel Eissa, StAR student at the University of Bergen.
10.45	Panel 2: Addressing threats to academic freedom - student led responses Selma Bratberg, President, Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund Bhekumusa Dlamini, former StAR student at University of Bergen. Harald Bolstad Evensen, Head of Academics and Research, The National Union of Students in Norway Maryna Visnes, Ukrainian student union in Bergen Moderator: Sjur Selsvik, Deputy Chariman, Velferdstinget Vest
11.15	Panel 3 and 4 will be held in Norwegian. Simultaneous interpretation from Norwegian to English will be offered. 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, University of Bergen. Camilla Stoltenberg, CEO, NORCE. 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).
11.45	Panel 4: Barriers to academic freedom – perspectives from Norwegian researchers Keynote: Senior member of the Norwegian education and research sector (TBA). A conversation: Senior member of the Norwegian Education and Research Sector (TBA). 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, University of Bergen. Konrad Tywoniuk, Associate Professor and Group Leader of the Theoretical Physics Group, the 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.
12.15	Closing remarks: Benedicte Carlsen, Professor and Vice-Rector for Research and International Relations, University of Bergen, and Head of UiBs Committee for the Scholars at Risk Network and IIE-Scholar Rescue Fund Alliance.
12.20	Lunch

Konferanse

02.11.2023 - 09.00–12.30

Storsalen, Nygårdsgaten 5, University of Bergen, 5015 Bergen

Kristin Hansen

Registration

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22.09.2023