October 2025 — Scholars at Risk (SAR) has released its annual report, Free to Think 2025, documenting 395 attacks on higher education communities in 49 countries and territories. The report underscores persistent threats in authoritarian contexts while highlighting an alarming rise in attacks in historically liberal democracies, where university autonomy and academic freedom are increasingly under pressure.
Key findings include:
Afghanistan: The Taliban has excluded women, ethnic minorities, and dissenting voices from universities under the guise of staffing changes.
Serbia: Faculty supporting student-led anti-government protests have faced punitive restrictions on their research.
United States: Federal authorities have used executive orders, Department of Justice investigations, and funding revocations to pressure universities into compliance.
The report calls on the global community to defend higher education institutions as spaces of free thought, debate, and innovation.
Scholars at Risk urges action:
Read and share the report: Free to Think 2025
Encourage institutions to join the Scholars at Risk Network
Advocate for policies that protect academic freedom and autonomy
Support SAR’s mission by making a gift today