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Every Wednesday, New Zealand Initiative staff meet to discuss our columns for the week. It is part of our routine. Read more
All my friends sometimes skip school. For my school ‘think tank’ project, I decided to explore why they do so, and to propose some ideas for reducing the behaviour. Read more
In this episode, Michael and James talk to Oxford theologian Nigel Biggar as he discusses his experiences with academic cancel culture and argues that while the British Empire had significant flaws, it also helped spread important liberal values and institutions throughout the world. The conversation then delves into how modern universities are struggling with free speech and academic discourse, suggesting that a combination of institutional cowardice, loss of religious frameworks, and generational disconnection from historical threats to democracy has led to current campus tensions around controversial topics. Read more
Every year in New Zealand, around 62,000 young people leave school. Just 6% of them enter apprenticeship training. Read more
Only a few days after the University of Auckland’s so-called academic freedom policy was rejected by the university’s Senate, Victoria University of Wellington’s own academic freedom policy has come to light. Victoria’s policy is likely a response to the government’s stated intention to make such policies a condition for government funding. Read more
Stephanie Martin talked to Simon O'Connor on Reality Check Radio about Auckland University's attampt to limit academic freedom and free speech. Listen below. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston talked to Michael Laws on The Platform about New Zealand universities' declining positions in international rankings, discussing factors like funding, research quality, and domestic policies. Dr Johnston suggests that while government funding is an issue, internal decisions by universities, such as introducing compulsory courses on Māori worldview, may also be contributing to their loss of international reputation. Read more
Stephanie Martin talks to Sean Plunket on The Platofrm explaining why the Free Speech Union welcomed Auckland University's rejection of a problematic academic freedom policy that could have restricted speech. The policy, despite its intentions, contained clauses about well-being and health and safety that might have enabled "cry bullying" and chilled academic discourse. Read more
Stephanie Martin talked to Rhema discussing the University of Auckland's overwhelmingly rejected freedom of expression and academic freedom policy, which was four years in the making. The policy was criticised for potentially inhibiting rather than protecting academic freedom, with concerns raised about its focus on subjective concepts like "well-being" that could restrict open discourse and debate in university settings. Read more
Academic freedom is an essential ingredient in any flourishing university system. It allows ideas to be put forward and debated, and thus underpins high-quality research and teaching. Read more