Global academic freedom faces severe multi-front crisis, Scholars at Risk's report finds

Universities worldwide are facing an unprecedented combination of violent state repression, legislative interference and targeted harassment, according to the annual Free to Think 2026 report released by the Scholars at Risk (SAR) Academic Freedom Monitoring Project.

The report, published on 15/09/2026, documents 382 attacks on higher education communities across 59 countries and territories between 01/07/2025 and 30/06/2026. It warns that political authorities and non-state actors are increasingly seeking to silence critical inquiry and enforce ideological compliance.

The report underscores: "Universities sit at the intersection of power and ideas. They exist to produce and share knowledge through research, teaching, debate and dialogue. They teach students how to evaluate ideas based on…