Berlin, 27 February 2025. The European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA) released a statement expressing grave concern over the growing threats to academic freedom in the United States, warning of the significant global repercussions for science and international research collaboration. The statement has since received significant and widespread support from science organisations across Europe.
The statement came in response to the recent executive orders and legislative measures in the U.S. that have led to disruptions and insecurity in research funding, as well as censorship of scholarly pursuits concerning research in fields such as climate science, gender studies, and public health. Billions in federal research funding have been frozen, forcing many U.S. science agencies and research institutions to suspend or curtail operations.
These actions do not just affect researchers in the U.S., but around the world, because science is a global, collaborative enterprise. ALLEA warns that restrictions on particular topics and methodologies by the new administration negatively impact transatlantic data sharing and open exchange of ideas, thereby threatening decades of collaborative research between the U.S. and Europe, and potentially setting back scientific progress in critical areas.
As Professor Karin Roelofs, ALLEA Board Member and principal author of the statement puts it, “The silence around threats to academic freedom and international research collaboration is deafening. With this statement, we call upon national governments and international organisations to stand with the research community in remaining vigilant of these challenges. It is now time to join forces to safeguard academic freedom.”
In answer to this call for solidarity, the statement has already been endorsed by over 40 research institutions, representing the unwavering commitment of the research community to safeguarding academic freedom, which is a key pillar of democratic societies. In addition to European academies of sciences and humanities, prominent research performing and funding organisations such as CNRS (France), independent SAGE (UK), and Science Europe are among the signatories. For a full list of signatories, see here.
ALLEA further urges policymakers in Europe and beyond to reinforce international agreements that protect open scientific collaboration, ensuring that political agendas do not dictate the course of research. As ALLEA President Pawel Rowiński adds, "Academic freedom is the backbone of scientific progress and indeed foundational to a free society. The latest actions by the new U.S. administration threaten the integrity and autonomy of research and disrupt public trust in science not just within the country but worldwide. Europe must stand firm in safeguarding independent research and stay committed to fostering an open and collaborative science ecosystem, thus ensuring that we remain a place where scholars can safely work, free from political interference."