Date: Wednesday–Thursday, May 3-4 2023
Venue: Kungl, Vitterhesakademien (May 3), The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden (May 4)
Host: The Young Academy of Sweden

Stockholm_fotoThorbenMielke_unsplash_1100x571

ENYA 2023 Stockholm Photo: Thorben Mielke

For two days in 2023 all European Young Academies are invited to Stockholm to take part in discussing the future of European research.

In May 2023, all European Young Academies are invited to Stockholm to take part in discussing the future of European research.

Our proposition is to base these discussions on the notion of academic freedom: what that future does, should and could hold on the notion of academic freedom.

Academic freedom takes many forms, as do the possible threats to its existence, which currently is on the rise across Europe and in individual European national states. While some scholars might experience threats from foreign or domestic political pressures, others might find lack of financial stability a threat to achieve a state of free and creative thinking. Yet others might be the target of threats or smear campaigns, based on the nature of their research or findings.

Indeed, just as the challenges to academic freedom varies between disciplines, countries and groups, the discussion of how to safeguard such a freedom in the future will necessarily be polyphonic and multi-faceted. in the spirit of the Young Academies of Europe, we welcome such a plurality of voices and see this as a starting point for identifying emergent challenges for independent research in Europe today, to and to advance creative and bold solutions in defence of academic freedom, with a special attention to the conditions for junior scholars.

In the ENYA meeting, we want to make use of the opportunity to create something new, and profoundly constructive. We aim to create a young academy vision for academic freedom in Europe – we want to set a mark for 2030. What opportunities do we see presenting themselves in the year 2030?

Creating our own ideal road forwards will also open up a discussion of our own future roles and responsibilities: as research leaders, teachers, activists, public figures – or unfettered free thinkers, and to what degree do such roles overlap, or work in contradiction to each other?

Welcome to the ENYA meeting in 2023!

9.00 Arrival/registration

9.30 Best practice exchange

12.00 – 13.00 Lunch at Sturegatan 19

13.00 – 15.00 Academic Freedom Workshop

15.00 Break

15.30 – 16.30 Academic leadership

16.30 – Transport to City Hall

17.00 – Reception and guided tour of the City Hall
The Nobel Banquet is held annually in the Blue Hall of Stockholm City Hall.
The City of Scockholm (Stockholms stad) is hosting the event.

18.30 – Transport to Nobel Prize Museum

19.00 – 21.00 – Dinner and guided tour at the Nobel Prize Museum

9.00 – Arrival/registration/Coffee

9.30 – Opening session

Moderator: Mia Liinason, Young Academy of Sweden

The European Research Area (ERA) aims to create a ‘single, borderless market for research, innovation and technology across the EU’; what are our hopes and concerns for that development? Is it a ‘market’ we are hoping for? How do we see the current political climate affecting, supporting, or being dependent on academic freedom?

Keynote: Knowledge resistance and its consequences for academic freedom
Prof. Åsa Wikforss, professor in theoretical philosophy, Stockholm University, Sweden


10.10 – Session 1 – Funding Freedom

Moderator: Marie-José van Tol, De Jonge Akademie, Netherlands

Is academic freedom the start or the endpoint, and who should pay the price for it? What is needed to enable free academic practices such as open-ended curiosity and long-term, high-risk projects, not exclusively those with a clear application? If such systems would be fully in place within Europe, what would be the effects: are there risks, concerns and potential losers?

Confirmed speakers:

The role, opportunities, and restriction for funding agencies to promote academic freedom
Arne Flåøyen, Director Nordforsk, Norway

The Index of academic freedom, and the economic aspects at play
Dr. Lars Pelke, postdoctoral researcher, Institute of Political Science, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany

The tensions between the necessity of science communication and the other seemingly necessary logic of branding in science and HE
Salla-Maaria Laaksonen, adjunct professor in Media & Communication Studies, Centre for Consumer Society Research, University of Helsinki, Finland


12.00 Lunch


13.00 Session 2 – The impact of freedom

Moderator: Timo de Wolff, Die Junge Akademie, Germany

How do we see the ideal balance between the needs of society and academic freedom – is there a tension between them? How do academic assessment regimes currently interact with academic freedom, and how could such regimes work in the future? How would we hope academic freedom looks in 2030; what societal effects would that have?

Confirmed speakers:

Academic Freedom in Scandinavia: has the Nordic model survived?
Prof. Terrence Karran, professor of Higher Education Policy, University of Lincoln, United Kingdom

The missing guardrails of academic freedom in Sweden
Prof. Shirin Ahlbäck Öberg, professor in Political Science, Uppsala University, Sweden


14.30 – 15.00 Fika


15.00 Session 3 – The role of a free scholar

Moderator: Jacek Kolanowski, Chair Polish Young Academy

Do researchers have certain opportunities or responsibilities to safeguard, discuss, and impact discussions on freedom? How do we keep, repair, or establish trust in scientific practices? Is there any potential friction between research activism and research integrity? With established principles of academic freedom, such as the Magna Charta Universitatum, long in place, what does and could the practice look like?

Confirmed speakers:

Challenging scientific dogmas – a fight against multiple opponents
Prof. Christine Stabell Benn, professor in Global Heath, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

Internal and external obstacles and opportunities
Prof. Christina Moberg, professor in Organic Chemistry at Kungliga Tekniska högskolan, Sweden, former president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Autonomy for whom? Self-governance of what? The changing institutional conditions for the exercise of academic freedom
Prof. Sharon Rider, professor in Logic and Metaphysics, Uppsala University, Sweden


17.00 – Closing session

Moderator: Lisa Hellman, Young Academy of Sweden

17.30 – End

Click here for more information and registration

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