European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA) expresses grave concern over the escalating threats to academic freedom, both in the United States and beyond. Young Academy Finland has signed a statement released by ALLEA.
Recent developments regarding science and scholarship in the U.S., including executive orders freezing billions in federal research funding and censorship around topics such as climate change and gender, are forcing many U.S. science agencies and research organisations to abruptly suspend normal operations. Such censorship and political suppression of language, research topics, and methodologies—whether through funding restrictions, legislative control, or institutional interference—fundamentally compromise the integrity of scientific and scholarly endeavours not just in the U.S. but around the world due to the global nature of the research ecosystem.
ALLEA encourages itsmembers, partners, and like-minded organisations, and urge national
governments and international institutions in the U.S., Europe and beyond to remain vigilant and strengthen ongoing efforts to safeguard academic freedom and the autonomy of scientific institutions, committing to actions and measures adopted through inter-institutional and supranational agreements in Europe and globally.
The statement can be signed here.
Young Academy Finland has signed also a petition, addressed to UNIFI and Arene asking the rectors of Finnish universities to take a stand to protect scientific freedom and freedom of expression.