University autonomy is often perceived as an internal matter for the academic community, primarily relevant to rectors, professors and researchers, yet somewhat removed from society at large. However, the boundaries of a university’s freedom also reveal much about the freedom of society itself: the extent to which it trusts independent institutions, is prepared to accept criticism, and is willing to preserve space for ideas that are not predetermined by political power or prevailing public opinion. At a time when Europe and the wider world are once again debating democratic resilience, the limits of political power, security interests and freedom of expression, university autonomy is becoming not only an academic concern but a matter of public importance.
From 14 to 16 October, this discussion will move to Vilnius. For the first time in Lithuania, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU), together with the Magna Charta Observatory (MCO), will host the MCO Annual Conference, “Beyond Resilience: Universities as Active Value-Driven Agents in a Changing World”. The programme will address university autonomy and academic freedom, political pressure on higher education, the relationship between universities and the state in the context of security challenges, the impact of artificial intelligence, and the democratic role of universities.
The themes of this year’s conference were not chosen by chance. In a survey of MCO signatories, strengthening autonomy and safeguarding academic freedom in an increasingly complex and regulated environment were identified among the most pressing concerns facing universities today. Other major issues included public trust, social responsibility and the rise of populism.
Why, in the twenty-first century, do universities once again find themselves having to defend principles that democratic societies had come to regard as self-evident?
Ahead of the conference in Vilnius, we discuss these questions with Prof. Dr. Vytautas Nekrošius, President of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences and Patron of the conference.
Autonomy and democracy
Prof. Dr. Vytautas Nekrošius directly links the question of university autonomy with the state of democracy.
“Democracy is facing a growing number of challenges across the world, as political powers increasingly seek to restrict people’s freedoms, regulate their lives and effectively remove the principal bearer of sovereignty, the Nation, from the processes of governing the state. It is clear that independent and autonomous universities, where critical thinking is cultivated, pose a significant obstacle to political groups pursuing such aims. As a result, university autonomy is facing a genuine threat in a considerable number of countries,” says Prof. Dr. Nekrošius.
Prof. Dr. Vytautas Nekrošius
This perspective allows us to understand autonomy in a broader sense. It is neither a privilege enjoyed by universities nor a right to operate without accountability to society. Rather, autonomy means that a university must be able to fulfil its mission according to the principles of scholarship, academic ethics and reasoned debate, rather than in response to shifting political priorities.
A democratic society needs universities not only because they educate professionals. It also needs them as places where established assumptions can be tested, authorities can be challenged, and questions can be asked even when the answers may prove uncomfortable.
What happens when the state funds universities?
University autonomy inevitably encounters a highly practical question. A substantial part of higher education is financed from public funds. The state has expectations of universities, while society is rightly entitled to expect quality and tangible benefits. At what point does a legitimate public expectation become interference?
Prof. Dr. Nekrošius sees one of the most sensitive boundaries of autonomy in the funding model itself.
“A genuine threat to university autonomy may arise when public funding is not based on specific and clearly defined criteria. Where politicians have broad discretion in determining the level of university funding, there is a real risk that this power may be abused.
Another important criterion of universities’ financial independence is their ability to generate additional income beyond public funding. In this respect, universities in Lithuania have relatively broad and favourable opportunities.”
The issue, therefore, is not simply how much public funding universities receive. Equally important is the basis on which funding decisions are made. The clearer and more stable the criteria, the lower the risk that funding may become an instrument of political influence.
This question acquires another dimension in an environment of geopolitical insecurity. A dedicated session at the MCO conference will examine whether universities can engage with state-driven security priorities without compromising their core missions. For Lithuania, this is not merely a theoretical dilemma. The state has a legitimate interest in protecting sensitive technologies, research and data. At the same time, it is essential to preserve a boundary beyond which security considerations do not begin to impose unjustified restrictions on academic cooperation and freedom of research.
Does academic freedom have limits?
University autonomy cannot be separated from academic freedom. Yet academic freedom is not absolute.
“The limits of academic freedom are very broad and are primarily related to the limits of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. For example, the limits of freedom of expression are defined in Article 25, paragraphs 3 and 4, of the Constitution. Article 21, paragraph 4, of the Constitution provides that no scientific or medical experiments may be conducted on a person without their knowledge and freely given consent,” Prof. Dr. Nekrošius explains.
The essential question, therefore, is not whether academic freedom may have limits, but on what grounds those limits are drawn. A restriction designed to protect human rights and dignity is not the same as a restriction imposed because a research topic, scientific conclusion or academic position has become politically inconvenient.
Why should this matter beyond universities?
The fundamental question, however, reaches well beyond the academic community. Why should university autonomy matter to someone who neither studies nor works at a university?
Prof. Dr. Nekrošius is unequivocal:
“Free universities are essential safeguards for the existence of a free and democratic society. Abolishing or substantially restricting academic freedom opens the door wide to the establishment of dictatorships and other non-democratic forms of government. The examples of Russia and Belarus demonstrate this very clearly.”
A university is one of the institutions whose purpose goes beyond transmitting existing knowledge. It teaches us to test what we believe we know, to distinguish argument from authority, fact from opinion, and critical questioning from disloyalty.
For this reason, the weakening of academic freedom is rarely a problem confined to universities. It often occurs alongside a narrowing of the space available to independent institutions, public debate and civil society.
Why is this discussion taking place in Vilnius?
The context of the forthcoming conference is equally significant. The MCO programme highlights Lithuania’s position in the region, its links with Ukrainian universities and Lithuania’s forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2027. The programme will also address the role of universities in the European integration processes of Ukraine, Moldova and other countries.
The decision to hold this international discussion in Vilnius, at Mykolas Romeris University, therefore has significance beyond the organisational dimension.
MRU’s role in the conference extends beyond that of co-organiser. The University will become a space where different national and academic experiences meet and where participants will seek answers to what university autonomy, responsibility and the ability to remain free mean amid rapid political, technological and geopolitical change.
It is no coincidence that the conference title speaks of moving “beyond resilience”. The ability simply to withstand pressure may no longer be sufficient for universities. Increasingly, they are expected to play an active role in defending academic values, strengthening democratic culture, building public trust and, at the same time, preserving their independence.
Ultimately, the question of university autonomy is not simply about how much freedom a university itself requires.
It is a question of what kind of university a free society needs, and whether society itself is prepared to protect an institution whose value lies in its capacity to think independently, to question what is taken for granted and to raise uncomfortable questions. How we answer this question reveals much not only about the boundaries of university autonomy, but also about the maturity of democratic society itself.
The Magna Charta Observatory (MCO) brings together universities from around the world that are committed to the principles and values of the Magna Charta Universitatum. Its work focuses on safeguarding and strengthening academic freedom, institutional autonomy and universities’ responsibility to society. More than 1,000 universities from 94 countries have signed the Magna Charta Universitatum.