"Without academic freedom, there is no competitiveness" (Roberta Metsola, EP President)

"If we want Europe to lead - on AI, on quantum, on biotech, on clean tech - we need scientists who are free to think, to challenge, and to push boundaries. That is how real, ground-breaking innovation happens. We talk a lot - and increasingly so, and necessarily so - about Europe’s competitiveness, about the need to be ahead in the global race for innovation. But let’s be honest: without academic freedom, there is no competitiveness", states Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament on 05/02/2025.

She is speaking at the annual high-level conference of the European Parliament's STOA Forum for Academic Freedom.

While the 2024 edition of the European Parliament's Observatory on Academic Freedom consists of two studies to be published shortly, the EP has already published its key findings and policy options.

"While the state of play of academic freedom in the European Union is generally better than in most global regions, there have been some worrying trends in recent years. According to the 2024 Academic Freedom Index, academic freedom declined slightly across the EU from…