Institutional Autonomy in Relation to Academic Freedom, the Role of the Government and the Need for Higher Education as a Federation

Bibliographic Data

ID12417077
AuthorsZhidong Hao (0000-0001-5027-3574, University of Macau, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume33
IssueS1
PagesS70-S85
Publication date2025-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEuropean Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1062-7987 • E-ISSN: 1474-0575
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s1062798725000146
OpenAlexW4410403707
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited18

Everywhere in the world, higher education is in crisis, and institutional autonomy and academic freedom are under threat. In this article, I propose a continuum of university autonomy in relation to academic freedom, with ‘little or no autonomy’ on one end, followed by ‘low autonomy’, ‘somewhat-balanced autonomy’, and with ‘balanced autonomy’ on the other end. Then I analyse the role of the government in influencing institutional autonomy and academic freedom. My conclusion is that the government plays a key role in determining what kind of autonomy a university enjoys, and balanced autonomy can be achieved if higher education is operated as a federation where different actors, including the government, the board of trustees, the president, faculty and students, work together, one way or the other, as partners. Only then can the university as a public good rightfully fulfil its aims and purposes for the benefit of all humanity

Academic freedom · Autonomy · Government (linguistics · Higher education · Political science · Relation (database · Academic Freedom and Politics · Computer Science · Law · Philosophy · Psychology · Public Administration

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