Debate

Academic Freedom Across Borders. Perspectives on Inclusivity

Date

Monday 14 September 2026

Time

17:00 - 19:00 hour

Address

Lipsius building
Cleveringaplaats 1
Leiden

Room

0.05

Programme

Academic freedom and inclusivity are core values for our university. In recent times, however, both are under tension due to conflicts elsewhere, e.g. in Sudan, Ukraine, and Israel/Palestine. Especially, for minority students and staff, that are (willingly or not) connected to such conflicts, new challenges have arisen. Furthermore, and in some cases connected, limits to international academic interaction are being advocated. 

Open discussion

Here we aim for an open discussion on academic freedom, especially for minority scholars and students, during times of geopolitical conflict. For that, we choose to compare the situation in academia in Israel and the Netherlands, the first being part of a high-impact conflict, the second being influenced by it.

Speakers

For that, we have invited four speakers. One is a former rector of an Israeli university. One is a member of the Druse minority in Israel. One is an Iranian Dutch academic, and one is the former minister of Education. In the follow-up debate we hope to discuss practical measures universities can take to foster academic freedom and secure inclusion of minority voices, in times of political polarization here and elsewhere.

Registration

Please note: registration is compulsory!

Register here

More information

For questions or more information, please contact:

• Sense Jan van der Molen ([e-mail])
• Jürgen Zangenberg ([e-mail]) 
• Vered Raz ([e-mail])