A proposed memorandum of understanding between Cambridge University and Saudi Arabia's defence ministry threatens to undermine academic freedom, warns Jemimah Steinfeld, CEO of Index on Censorship.
Concerns Over Repressive Regime
The Saudi government is one of the world's most repressive, with a record of executing journalists and imprisoning dissidents. Steinfeld argues that any partnership with such a state risks self-censorship, even if formal protections are in place.
Previous Examples of Compromise
Sheffield Hallam University shelved research on China's human rights abuses due to its partnerships there, only resuming after legal action. Similarly, Cambridge itself halted PhD research by Pakistani human rights defender Roshaan Khattak on enforced disappearances in Balochistan following threats.
Steinfeld urges protection of the UK's tradition of academic excellence, warning that cozying up to foreign states that disregard academic freedom could erode it.
