Academic freedom is not only a right of universities and faculty, but a right of societies as well;

Without it, scientific research cannot advance or build the knowledge societies that form the basis of the economy in the 21st century.

The absence of academic freedoms was one of the most important reasons why universities were not productive of knowledge, and this led to the migration of many minds to Western countries where researchers enjoy the freedom that enables them to produce new ideas.

And researchers who did not find the opportunity to emigrate are suffering from depression, as they know that their fate is in the hands of the security forces that have taken control of universities, and can dismiss scholars when they dare to express their opinion, or study issues related to freedom, democracy and human rights.

There are many professors expressing their feelings of regret over times when professors enjoyed prestige and prestige, and they talk about university presidents who threatened to resign for their refusal to dismiss professors who differ with them ideologically and ideologically in defense of the universities’ independence and the university professor’s dignity and freedom and his right to expression and scientific research.

Universities cannot progress or thrive if the right of every researcher or faculty member to produce, disseminate and teach knowledge, express his opinion, and present questions that open the fields for the development of scientific research is not protected.

There are certain sciences - such as politics, media, sociology, law, and literature - in which knowledge is not produced, or students are rehabilitated and prepared to be leaders of societies if the freedom of professors to teach is restricted, censorship is imposed on them and fear is instilled in them;

What can a media professor say to his students in the stands if he feels that his security is threatened when he talks about media freedom and ethics, and what does a politics professor teach his students when he cannot talk about the political system or democracy and the danger of tyranny and dictatorship on societies?

Who are the academic positions for?

There is a general agreement in all the universities of the world that professors are the ones who run the university and its faculties and departments, and there are traditions that are respected when selecting professors to take these positions, and those traditions and university customs that are stable make professors rest assured that they can get their chances to take those jobs if they are fulfilled Scientific conditions, and therefore a faculty member dedicates himself to scientific research, and works hard to develop his teaching abilities, because he does not need other means - such as hypocrisy - to obtain these positions.

These academic traditions opened the way to achieve the stability of universities in many countries of the world, which guaranteed every professor his rights. He became aware of the scientific and practical qualifications that he must obtain in order to take over academic jobs, starting from the head of the department until the presidency of the university.

To assume those jobs who receive the recognition of the majority of professors of their entitlement, eligibility and ability to manage their affairs, achieve justice among professors, and lead them to develop scientific research. .

Depression and lost justice

Is it permissible to conduct a poll for the opinion of faculty members in Arab universities about the reasons that have hindered the universities' abilities to play their role in achieving the progress of societies?

Until the field is opened to conduct this survey, we will be satisfied with relying on indicators, the most important of which is that a state of discontent and anger spreads among faculty members, and this appears in the opinions they publish on their pages in social media, and the state of depression appears clear in their expression and regret that they had They wasted their lives in scientific research, and in directing their students to stay away from this path, which is surrounded by thorns and pain on all sides, and that the professor did not get money or prestige.

There are many professors expressing their feelings of regret over the times when professors enjoyed prestige and prestige, and they talk about university presidents who threatened to resign for their refusal to dismiss professors who differ with them intellectually and ideologically in defense of the universities’ independence, the university professor’s dignity and freedom and his right to expression and scientific research.

Another important indicator that could point to the danger to Arab universities is; Which is that faculty members who succeeded in migrating to Western countries and obtaining their citizenship were able to achieve success, fame and glory and obtained awards and positions, and then Arab universities sought to lure them with large salaries to teach in them. While the faculty member who was subjected to injustice in his university continued to feel remorse and heartbreak that he preferred to return to the homeland to serve his community with his knowledge; He found injustice, double standards and racism waiting for him, so his energy waned, and diseases ravaged his body, so he did not find a cure, or he died, and his orphaned children only found a small pension that is not enough to pay the electricity bill.

As for his colleague, who refused to return and continued to European and American universities, about which the press of his country began to speak with pride, he formed a positive image of his country, and made great scientific achievements.

There are thousands of Arab scholars who knew from the beginning that the future lies in foreign universities that know the value of science, work to produce knowledge, and lead their societies to achieve progress, in which academic freedom is available and the rights of all are guaranteed.

Fear does not produce knowledge

Whoever returned to the homeland discovered many bitter facts, so a lump filled his throat, and because he lost the opportunity to emigrate outside the homeland;

He migrated inside him, preferring silence, withdrawal, and depression.

One of the most dangerous facts he discovered was that the university is not run by professors, but is controlled by the security services that choose those who take positions according to its terms that contradict science, competence, credibility, freedom and dignity.

Certainly, the West was happy with that result that allowed it to attract hundreds of thousands of Arab scientists who produced knowledge, created, invented and innovated and became loyal to the Western countries whose citizenship they obtained, and they cannot return to work in universities that lack academic freedom after they knew its value and tasted Its sweetness, as it was the most important factor that contributed to their success, fame and glory.

As for the homeland, they left it to those who preferred restrictions over freedom and injustice over justice.

Whoever goes to Western universities will not find a trace of the security services, and will not feel afraid of them, and an officer will not be able to dismiss him or prevent his promotion because he talks about freedom;

Therefore, he devote himself to scientific research, thinking and producing knowledge, and therefore hundreds of Western universities occupy an advanced position in international rankings.

While every Arab university, which appears in the world rankings, holds weddings, navigator nights, drum parties, bands and dances, which form a negative image of the university.

Those who build the status of the university are the scholars who enjoy academic freedom, produce knowledge without fear of security agencies, and devote themselves to scientific research that achieves glory, status, prestige and a decent life for them.

Therefore, it is natural for Western universities to excel, become knowledge-producing universities and leaders of their societies, qualify those who lead societies, and establish a strong economy that does not depend on debt.

self-censorship

Can a researcher or professor impose self-censorship on himself?!

Can he produce knowledge when he prevents himself from expressing his thoughts out of fear or greed?!

One of the most important conditions that qualifies a professor to obtain a position in or outside universities is that he succeed in self-censorship, so he only says what pleases the authority or “brushes his shirt collar with silence,” according to Amal Dunqul’s expression.

And the security services know and appreciate those who exaggerate in imposing self-censorship on themselves, and scientific competence is in many cases a serious obstacle that leads to failure. The one who feels his scientific competence and that he is qualified with his effort, struggle and research to obtain the scientific status he deserves, is more proud of his dignity and more keen on the norms of universities And its traditions, and this does not satisfy the security services, so he is excluded even if he stands by the authority and adopts its discourse, because this type does not secure its side and it is difficult to completely subjugate it.

And because some have understood the game well, they have exaggerated their hypocrisy and imposed self-censorship on themselves, so they were swept away by the gold of power after achieving their goals of subjugating and controlling the universities.

And because the country that achieves progress in the 21st century is the one that succeeds in building a knowledge society;

The state that imposes control over its universities and compels them to submit and treats them as a governmental body;

It will weaken itself and destroy its capabilities to build a knowledge-based economy.

As for the university that gives up its independence and academic freedom and neglects the dignity of its professors;

It cannot become a knowledge-producing university and will not have a role in achieving the progress of society.

Academic freedom is the only way to build universities that produce knowledge, build knowledge societies, and develop a knowledge-based economy;

Therefore, Arab academics must start a new stage to defend academic freedom to build a future based on knowledge.