Universities must protect freedom of expression while maintaining safeguarding practices and compliance with equality and counter-terrorism duties. Legal duties include safeguarding obligations, the Equality Act 2010, the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (Prevent Duty), and the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. These duties can conflict, especially when managing potentially harmful speech without unlawful censorship. Institutions should adopt structured, transparent compliance approaches to balance obligations. Clear, well-drafted policies and codes of conduct should set expectations and disciplinary procedures. Academic freedom statements and accessible digital engagement guidelines, delivered through training and handbooks, support lawful expression and community safety.
The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, or Prevent Duty, obliges universities to help stop people from being drawn into terrorism. The more recent Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 strengthens protections for lawful expression on campus. These duties can conflict on occasions, for example, when managing potentially harmful speech without veering into unlawful censorship. Universities should adopt a structured, transparent approach to compliance to ensure one obligation is not inadvertently prioritised to the detriment of another.
Clear, well-drafted policies are essential for balancing rights and responsibilities. Universities should establish codes of conduct that set expectations for respectful engagement both on and off campus. For those who breach those codes, there should be consistent and fair disciplinary procedures. Academic freedom statements are just as important to clarify an institution's commitment to lawful expression. Staff and students should be able to easily access guidelines for digital engagement, covering appropriate use of social media, online platforms, and collaborative tools through training sessions and handbooks.
Collection
[
|
...
]