The 2023 report on academic freedom reveals a concerning global trend. The latest edition of the Academic Freedom Index (AFI) provides an overview of the state of academic freedom in 179 countries in 2023, and trends over time. Analysis of growth and decline episodes at the country level indicates that academic freedom is currently experiencing a decline in 23 countries. Conversely, there is a measurable increase in only ten countries.
The AFI assesses de facto levels of academic freedom and is a unique and peer-reviewed approach to conceptualizing and assessing academic freedom worldwide. This year, an alarming 3.6 billion individuals reside in nations where academic freedom is severely restricted. However, a broader historical comparison provides a slightly more optimistic picture, showing an expansion of academic freedom in 56 countries over the past fifty years.
The latest version of the Academic Freedom Index (AFI) graphically depicts the current landscape of academic freedom as of 2023, highlighting these critical trends. The aggregate index rests on five indicators, a customized Bayesian measurement model, and more than one million data points at the coder level. It builds on the expertise of 2,329 scholars around the globe and is freely available at https://academic-freedom-index.net and https://www.v-dem.net. The findings presented in this year’s update build upon the AFI team’s research published in several journals in recent years.