Lecture series on Academic Freedom

Résumé de la formation

This course is offered to you through the Open Campus hosted by Circle U (European University Alliance).

What is Open Campus ? 

The Open Campus is a virtual university campus where students can find all joint offers developed by our nine partner universities. You will find different formats and subjects, varying from hackatons to talks to online and physical courses and summer schools – and many things in-between. Be sure to check out what you can apply for now, what’s coming up and what is available online.

Learning Outcomes

In a global context marked by increasing threats to individual freedoms and growing scepticism toward scientific expertise, preserving knowledge and promoting critical inquiry have become essential. The Academic Freedom course explores the conditions that can either foster or hinder research and teaching, while offering a deeper understanding of how these issues directly affect democratic societies.
Throughout the course, students will attend expert lectures and engage with guest speakers in an interactive format that goes beyond traditional teaching methods. Through group work on assigned readings, participants are encouraged to contribute actively, enriching discussions and learning collaboratively. The course thus provides a dynamic and participatory experience at the heart of contemporary debates.

Programme

Mondays (tutorials) and Tuesdays (lectures), 4:15-5:45, from October 19 to December 8

Full Programme

Sessions will be held online, with the possibility for UPCité students to attend in person if their schedule allows.

• 19 October : Kick off session
• 26-27 October :“Academic Freedom: Cold War Politics and Legacies, S. Cœuré
• 2-3 November : Academic Freedom and Science Diplomacy. Collaboration among Universities in Times of Democratic Backsliding, C. Matthes
• 9 -10 November : Academic Freedom under Threat: Scientific Dissent, Chemical Colonialism and Corporate Power, L. Bombardi Mies
• 16-17 November : Inter-Prêt-à-Porter: Academic Freedom Between Declaration and Ideal, Stipe Odak and Guy Shalev
• 23-24 November: Against Bullshit: Academic Freedom and the Democratic Politics of Truth”, Éric Fassin
• 30 November and 1 December : Student Protests in Serbia: The Case of Academic Freedoms or Coloured Revolution, Nemanja Džuverović
• 7-8 December : Closing session and round table & discussion with Open Campus Academic Chairs Hannes Grandits; Sophie Maisonneuve, UPCité; Anne-Lise Sibony,

Examination

The course awards 25.5 hours of training to your porfolio. Students are assessed through continuous evaluation.Before each lecture, students participate in group study sessions to prepare the readings. They are expected to:

Answer questions on the readings (2 papers per session)
Drafting 3 questions to ask to the guest lecturers

Formateurs et formatrices

S. Coeuré, C. Matthes, L. Bombardi Mies, S. Odak, G. Shalev, E. Fassin, N. Džuverović, H. Grandits, S. Maisonneuve, A-L. Sibony

Informations pratiques

To apply, please apply on AMETHIS and send your CV and motivation letter via the following link: https://sondage.app.u-paris.fr/149646?newtest=Y&lang=en

Registration deadline on AMETHIS: 07/09/2026

-→ All candidates will be selected by the local coordinator of Circle U. Your registration on AMETHIS will be confirmed after the initial selection by the programme coordinator.