About the lecture
At a time when academic freedom is under unprecedented political pressure from without and confusion and uncertainty about what it means within, it’s important to distinguish academic freedom from freedom of speech, to differentiate between teaching and indoctrination in the classroom and to be clear about what external political authority has the right to demand of a university and what autonomy in teaching, learning and research external authorities must respect.
The speakers
Michael Ignatieff served as President and Rector of the Central European University between 2016 and 2021, the turbulent years which saw CEU's expulsion from Budapest and its re-establishment in Vienna. He now is a professor in CEU's department of historical studies.
In Conversation with
Erin Delaney, Leverhulme Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law and Inaugural Director, Global Centre for Democratic Constitutionalism, UCL Laws
Closing remarks
Michael Spence, President & Provost, UCL
Chair
Uta Staiger, Associate Professor of European Studies and Director, UCL European Institute
The organisers
The UCL Europe Lecture, this year co-hosted with the UCL Faculty of Laws and supported by UCL Disagreeing Well, is convened annually by the UCL European Institute, the university’s hub for research, engagement and teaching on Europe. Every Academic Year, it brings a leading scholar, writer, policymaker, or public intellectual working on Europe to UCL to inform, challenge, and inspire discussion with the academic community – and the wider public.
UCL Disagreeing Well looks at how we can co-exist in a diverse community where many differences of opinion are passionately held and personally felt.
