While openness and exchange are among the most important tools of science, it seems to be becoming increasingly difficult to maintain respectful dialogue and respect each other's academic freedom when opinions differ. How far does academic freedom extend? And what tools do we have to protect academic freedom?
- Date
- Monday 18 May 2026, 09:00 - 12:30
- Type
- General
- Location
Senaatszaal, Campus Woudestein, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam
What will we discuss during this session?
During this dialogue, we will explore academic freedom and the public sphere in greater depth: the roles and responsibilities of academics in society, politics and the media.
An EUR researcher does not sit in the proverbial ‘ivory tower’, but actively participates in public debate. Both as a professional and as an ‘ordinary citizen’. When do you speak from your scientific expertise, and when do you express your personal opinion? How far does institutional and individual responsibility extend when a member of the academic community engages in public debate, from newspaper articles to protests? Is activism a threat to academic integrity or, on the contrary, an expression of public responsibility? And how does EUR ensure safety, particularly in these polarized times?
About the dialogues
We will engage in dialogue with each other during small-scale roundtable discussions that bring together different perspectives. Each table will be facilitated by a dialogue facilitator based on joint discussion agreements. There are Dutch and English dialogue tables. The input provided by participants will be treated confidentially and used anonymously for any follow-up dialogues, areas for improvement at EUR, and for the (national) output.
Program
After a joint reception and a brief opening by the moderator. Then the theme will then be explored in greater depth. After that, we will split into smaller groups for in-depth dialogues. The substantive program will conclude with a plenary feedback session and joint reflection. Afterwards, we can chat over lunch. Below you will find the general program for the morning, listing the most important items.
- 09:00 - 09:10: Welcome
- 09:10 - 09:30: Plenary opening
- 09:30 - 11:30: Dialogues in breakout rooms
- 11:30 - 12:00: Plenary conclusion
- 12:00 - 12:30: Social drinks
