Why is academic freedom essential for researchers and professors?

Academic freedom is enshrined in Luxembourg law, protecting the freedom of thought and speech in education and research from political, economical, religious and ideological pressure. 

20 May is International Academic Freedom Day, commemorating the day in 1921 when Marie Curie received a gram of radium from President Warren Harding at the White House. This gift enabled her to make groundbreaking discoveries in Europe. 

To celebrate the importance of academic freedom, we asked researchers and professors from the University of Luxembourg what it means to them personally in practice.

What academic freedom means to our researchers and professors?

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  As a professor in a discipline that has historically long been under the sway of the medical and religious establishments, employing nurses on a pro bono basis—overworked and unqualified—I am even more committed to academic freedom. Expressing and disseminating the foundations of nursing science, based not only on evidence but also on the experiences of those we care for, is essential in a context where the voice of nurses has been and continues to be discredited or simply ignored. Promoting self-esteem among nursing students so that they dare to raise their own unique voices, assert themselves and take on leadership roles is at the heart of our programmes. Together with our students and as a team, we open doors that once seemed impenetrable.

  Prof Marie FRIEDEL

  Full professor of Nursing Sciences

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  For me, academic freedom requires an education in asking uncomfortable questions without fear of being accused of causing offense. Questions that matter are often difficult, unsettling, and/or inconvenient. A university that values freedom of thought, speech, and teaching should protect the right to ask such questions, even (or especially) when they challenge accepted narratives and authoritative opinions. As long as debate remains honest, rational, and civil, academic freedom — and, with it, freedom of speech and thought — should be defended without hesitation. We must educate students (and ourselves) not to value comfort, purity of language, or an excessive deference to personal sensitivities, but the courage to ask questions, the willingness to engage in honest exchange, the ability to listen and argue rationally, and an openness to reconsider one’s convictions. Being challenged, and even offended, by ideas is often a path to intellectual growth.

  Assoc. Prof Gabriele LENZINI

  Associate professor/Chief scientist 2

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  Academic freedom means being able to question, discuss, and explore ideas openly. In the health sciences, this is especially important, because progress depends on our ability to challenge current practice, generate new knowledge, and continuously improve patient care and safety. For me, Marie Curie’s legacy is particularly meaningful in this context. Her pioneering work on radioactivity helped lay the scientific foundations for later medical applications. Her most direct contributions were linked above all to X-ray radiology, including the mobile X-ray units used during the First World War, and to the use of radium in tumour treatment. As someone working in medical imaging, I see her legacy as a reminder that scientific freedom can lead to discoveries that ultimately transform patient care.

  Assist. Prof Rui Pedro PEREIRA DE ALMEIDA

  Assistant professor in Clinical Imaging

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  Academic freedom is associated with the capacity to develop new technologies, find solutions for challenges or bridge the gap between a discovery and a practical application. It is therefore strongly related to progress and prosperity.

  Assoc. Prof Christian FISCH

  Associate professor in Business Economics and Entrepreneurship

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  If (academic) liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.

  Prof Gilbert MASSARD

  Professor in Medical Education

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  I want to be able to go with my research, where our results take us. Meaning, that a seemingly very basic question in cancer biology, can have major implications in the future.

  Prof Daniel ABANKWA

  Full professor in Cellular Tumour Biology

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  I think it is a good reminder that academic freedom, and all sorts of freedom, are not a given. To me, academic freedom is a capacity to research on personally meaningful topics. Academic freedom is also the political and societal ecosystem that allows me to pursue these topics. Academic freedom is ultimately allowing me to give voice to an opinion or point of view that may not be in line with the majority.

  Assist. Prof Adrian STANCIU

  Assistant professor Lifespan Developmental Psychology (adult development with a focus on technology and/or digitalization)

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  Academic freedom means education and research without state restrictions or interference from the university administration. I am free to decide how I acquire, interpret and pass on knowledge, and how I motivate, lead and supervise my group members. Interdisciplinarity is also very important to me: I can build bridges to other disciplines myself and collaborate with colleagues.

  Assoc. Prof Christoph SCHOMMER

  Associate professor in Artificial Intelligence

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  Beyond the more visible pressures on freedom of expression in Europe, including worrying tendencies to sanction or marginalise individuals for their views, I would like to draw attention to a more directly relevant issue for our university: Academic freedom is not merely formal, but requires the material and organisational conditions necessary to conduct research in practice. As recognised by the Court of Justice of the European Union, it includes both individual freedoms and the institutional autonomy of universities to define their research directions and priorities independently. If applied indiscriminately, cybersecurity frameworks such as NIS2 risk converting compliance into a de facto limitation on academic freedom, contrary to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

  Prof Massimiliano ESPOSITO

  Full professor in Theoretical physics