A new government-backed freedom of speech champion for universities has warned that “democracy is at stake.”
The appointment of Cambridge lecturer Professor Arif Ahmed as the Office for Students (OfS) director for freedom of speech and academic freedom comes in the wake of heated student protests over feminist Kathleen Stock’s talk at Oxford University.
The Department for Education described Ahmed’s new role—announced weeks after the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act became law—as a “huge step forward” in protecting free speech in British universities.
The historic legislation will establish a new complaints system, while also strengthening the legal duties on higher education providers in England to “protect and promote” freedom of speech on campuses, for students, staff and visiting speakers….