Academic and Research Freedom Policy

Policy Statement

An-Najah National University (“the University”) is committed to upholding, protecting and promoting academic and research freedom as a fundamental principle of higher education. Academic freedom extends to inquiry, teaching, learning, research, expression and publication. The University guarantees that members of the academic community may question established assumptions and contribute to scholarly and public debate without censorship, institutional pressure or retaliation.

Purpose

This policy:

1. establishes academic and research freedom as a core institutional value of An-Najah National University.

2. defines the rights and responsibilities of academic staff, researchers and students in exercising academic freedom.

3. ensures that academic freedom applies equally to Senior Academics and Junior Academics.

4. sets out the mechanisms for protecting academic freedom, enforcing this policy and providing redress for violations.

5. supports independent thinking, ethical scholarship and critical engagement with local, regional and global issues.

Scope

This policy applies to:

1. senior academics (professors and associate professors);

2. junior academics (assistant professors, lecturers and instructors);

3. researchers, research assistants and postdoctoral fellows;

4. students engaged in academic or research activities; and

5. University administrators involved in academic governance and decision-making.

Definitions

For the purposes of this policy:

1. Academic Freedom: means the freedom to pursue inquiry, teaching, discussion and publication without external interference or institutional censorship.

2. Research Freedom: means the freedom to choose research topics, methods and collaborators, and to disseminate research findings, in accordance with ethical standards.

3. Teaching Freedom: means the right to design and deliver course content, teaching methods and assessments within the applicable disciplinary standards and curriculum frameworks.

4. Senior Academics: means academic staff holding permanent or senior appointments at the rank of professor or associate professor.

5. Junior Academics: means early-career academic staff holding the rank of assistant professor, lecturer or instructor.

6. Censorship: means the suppression or restriction of academic expression, research or publication on political, ideological or institutional grounds rather than on grounds of scholarly merit.

7. Retaliation: means any adverse action taken against an individual for exercising, or seeking to exercise, the rights set out in this policy.

Principles

1. Freedom of Research

• All academic staff and students have the right to conduct research free from undue interference.
• Academic staff have the right to choose their research areas, methods and collaborators.
• The University protects the right to publish, present and disseminate research findings.
• Academic work is assessed solely on intellectual merit, ethical responsibility and professional integrity.

2. Freedom of Teaching

• Academic staff at all levels have the right to design courses, select teaching materials and adopt teaching methods that reflect current scholarship and diversity of thought.

• The University promotes open inquiry, debate and critical thinking, with respect for human dignity and for differing views.

3. Freedom of Public Expression

• Academic staff and researchers have the right to speak, publish and engage publicly on matters within their fields of expertise, including policy and community debates.
• The University supports responsible public engagement and the dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of society.

4. Senior Academics

• Senior academics have full autonomy over their research directions, methods and collaborations.
• Senior academics may express expert opinions publicly and take part in academic and public forums without prior institutional approval.
• Senior academics are responsible for mentoring junior colleagues in the ethical and constructive exercise of academic freedom.

5. Junior Academics

• Junior academics are entitled to the same protections of research and teaching freedom as senior academics.
• The University ensures that junior academics are not subject to undue influence, coercion or restriction in choosing their research focus or teaching methods.
• The University provides mentorship and institutional support to enable junior academics to develop independent research profiles and teaching competence.

6. Non-Discrimination and Inclusion

• Academic freedom shall be exercised without discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, nationality, political opinion or social status.
• The University is committed to inclusive participation and equal opportunity in all academic activities.

7. Integrity and Responsibility

• The exercise of academic freedom requires adherence to scholarly integrity, confidentiality and ethical research standards.
• Academic freedom does not extend to research misconduct, discrimination or breaches of university policies.

Access, Support and Guidance

1. The University guarantees equitable access to research resources, facilities and funding for all academic staff.

2. The University provides institutional advisory support on research ethics, intellectual property and academic freedom disputes.

3. Academic staff and students may seek guidance on their rights and obligations under this policy from their dean or the Office of Academic Affairs.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. The President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the University Council are jointly responsible for the implementation, oversight and enforcement of this policy.

2. Deans, Department Chairs and the Office of Academic Affairs ensure that this policy is applied consistently across all faculties and academic units.

3. Senior academics mentor junior colleagues.

Procedures

1. Complaints

• Any individual who believes that their academic freedom has been violated may submit a written complaint to the Academic Freedom Committee.
• The Committee investigates each complaint promptly, impartially and confidentially.
• On completion of the investigation, the Committee submits its recommendations to the University Council, which decides on the resolution of the complaint.

2. Protection from Retaliation

• No individual shall be subject to reprisal or discrimination for exercising or defending academic freedom in accordance with this policy.

3. Training and Awareness

• The University conducts regular training sessions, workshops and seminars on academic freedom rights, ethical responsibilities and good practice.

4. Monitoring, Reporting and Review

• An annual report on academic freedom is submitted to the University Senate to ensure transparency and continuous improvement.
• This policy is reviewed every four years, or earlier where necessary.

Approval

This policy is approved and endorsed by:

• the President of An-Najah National University.

• the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

• the Dean of Scientific Research.

 

Effective Date: 12 December 2018

Last Review Date: 23 June 2025