Academic Freedom Policy (16.2.6)

Policy supporting academic freedom in teaching, research, and public communication.

Introduction:

Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) upholds academic freedom as a core institutional principle that supports independent teaching, free intellectual inquiry, evidence-based research, and open public communication. The university recognizes academic freedom as essential to the advancement of knowledge, critical thinking, and community development, and aligns its practices with SDG16.10, which emphasizes the protection of fundamental freedoms.

AAU’s commitment to academic freedom is formally established through the Academic Freedom Support Policy and the Academic Freedom Compliance Review Procedure, both of which guarantee that faculty members, researchers, and students can engage in academic activities without interference, censorship, or undue influence. This framework ensures protection of research independence, freedom of expression in academic settings, and impartiality in knowledge dissemination.

Centers and Departments:

January
01

1. Sustainability and International Ranking Center (SIRC)

SIRC ensures that academic freedom principles are integrated within SDG-related teaching and research, monitors compliance with governance policies, and documents academic activities that exhibit freedom of intellectual inquiry.

January
01

2. Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research (HCASR)

The center enables researchers to pursue independent research agendas, collaborate with national and international partners, and publish scientific findings without administrative restriction, in alignment with the Academic Freedom Support Policy.

January
01

3. Teaching and Learning Center (TLC)

TLC supports teaching innovation, encourages open pedagogical methods, and ensures that faculty members exercise full academic freedom in curriculum design and instructional choices.

January
01

4. Global Engagement Center (GEC)

The GEC facilitates global academic partnerships and international research exchanges, enabling faculty and students to engage in cross-border academic dialogue free from restrictions, strengthening AAU’s academic freedom environment.

January
01

5. Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)

CIE promotes open innovation, supports student-led research, and enables researchers to explore entrepreneurial ideas with complete intellectual independence.

Activities:

January
01

1. Publication of the Academic Freedom Support Policy

AAU publicly publishes its Academic Freedom Support Policy, affirming institutional protection for teaching autonomy, research independence, and unrestricted academic communication.

January
01

2. Implementation of the Academic Freedom Compliance Review Procedure

The procedure specifies mechanisms for reviewing, protecting, and ensuring academic freedom across colleges, preventing violations and ensuring neutrality and fairness in academic operations.

January
01

3. Digital Transformation Conference Under the Patronage of Princess Alia

The conference offered an open platform for academic and public intellectual exchange on digital governance and emerging technologies. Researchers, policymakers, and civil-society members participated freely, reflecting the university’s environment of unrestricted academic communication.

January
01

4. Visit to the National Center for Human Rights

This visit reflects AAU’s commitment to protecting human rights principles, including academic freedom, freedom of expression, and rights-based research.

January
01

5. Minister of State for Legal Affairs Campus Dialogue

An open academic discussion was held with the Minister of State for Legal Affairs, allowing faculty and students to freely engage in critical dialogue related to national legal frameworks—an applied example of public academic freedom.

January
01

6. AAU Study on Criminalizing Corruption Submitted to National Authorities

The development and submission of an academic study on corruption to national authorities demonstrates AAU’s protection of research independence and its support for producing studies that challenge societal issues.

Impact Evaluation & Development Plan

Performance Evaluation
- AAU has a formally published Academic Freedom policy available to the public.
- The Academic Freedom Compliance Review Procedure ensures structured protection mechanisms.
- Research independence is fully supported through institutional and operational practices.
- Faculty members freely design curricula and pursue research agendas.
- Public academic events demonstrate unrestricted intellectual discourse.
- Official news provides clear evidence of open, critical, and systematic engagement.
Development Actions

Action 1: Launch annual “Academic Freedom Report” documenting institutional cases, protections, and academic activities.

Action 2: Develop academic freedom training programs for faculty and early-career researchers.

Action 3: Expand international research collaborations to strengthen free academic exchange.

Action 4: Digitalize the academic freedom complaint and compliance review system.

Action 5: Host annual academic freedom forums in partnership with legal and human-rights institutions.
Benchmarking & Best Practice

Adopted Global Best Practices:
- Alignment with UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel (1997).
- Compliance with international standards protecting academic freedom and free access to scientific information.
Localization to Jordanian Context:
- Supports national efforts to strengthen academic quality, research integrity, and freedom of intellectual inquiry.
- Reinforces collaboration with national legal, human-rights, and regulatory bodies.
Future Goal (By 2028):

To position AAU as a national leader in academic freedom protection through transparency, compliance, digital monitoring, and cross-sector academic partnerships.

Institutional Integration Summary

Academic freedom is embedded in AAU’s governance system through official policies, compliance procedures, independent research centers, and continuous academic–public dialogue. The university ensures that teaching, research, and public academic communication remain unrestricted, ethical, and aligned with global standards fully supporting SDG16’s goals of justice, openness, and protection of fundamental freedoms.