Let’s Hope The Maltese Government Is Not Influenced By This Sort Of Radical Madness That Is Engulfing Tertiary Education In Britain
An article published in The Telegraph discusses the British government’s measures that could lead to universities being closed if they fail to prevent what authorities describe as “extremism.” In practice, the debate appears to focus largely on Muslim radicalism.
Such proposals should concern anyone who values the role of universities in a democratic society. The success of universities in Europe has long rested on their function as a bedrock of free speech. Universities are meant to be places where ideas, whether popular or controversial, can be openly expressed, debated, and challenged.
Free speech is therefore paramount. Universities should remain spaces where Muslims, like all other members of society, are able to express their views freely. This includes opinions that many people may find deeply uncomfortable, such as expressing sympathy for controversial political figures or even mourning the death of leaders like Ali Khamenei. The role of the university is not to silence ideas but to confront them through critical discussion.
Those who believe that governments are doing a service to society by threatening to close universities that allow Muslims, including radicals, to voice their opinions may be overlooking the broader implications. Measures introduced today in the name of combating extremism can easily become tools for suppressing dissent tomorrow.
History repeatedly shows that laws designed to silence one group rarely remain limited to that group. Individuals who today applaud restrictions aimed at “extremists” may later find themselves targeted when their own views begin to challenge those in power. At that point, governments and sympathetic media outlets may label them extremists as well.
For this reason, defending freedom of expression in universities is not simply about protecting controversial speech. It is about safeguarding the intellectual independence that has made Western universities among the most respected institutions in the world.
One can only hope that the Maltese government does not allow itself to be influenced by such misguided policies now emerging in the United Kingdom, especially at a moment when the world appears to be entering a new geopolitical phase, as evidenced by the war against Iran. Universities flourish when they remain places of intellectual freedom, not institutions policed by governments fearful of ideas.
Universities that fail to prevent extremism will face sanctions and could be shut down, Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, has said.
Vice-chancellors will also be issued guidance on how to vet external speakers to make sure they do not support terrorism or engage in illegal activity.
This week, the Government will launch a social cohesion strategy that cites Islamist extremism as the biggest threat to community togetherness, according to a leaked draft.
One of the measures to be announced is an expanded taskforce, run by the Home Office, which will identify and disrupt the plans of any Islamist hate preachers and far-Right extremists attempting to travel to the UK.
Ms Phillipson said: “Universities should be places of rigorous debate and opportunity – but never places where people feel unsafe because of who they are or what they believe.”
There have long been concerns about the threat of extremism on British campuses. Earlier this year, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) restricted state funding for its citizens seeking to enrol at UK universities over fears of radicalisation by Islamist groups.
The Gulf state introduced the stricter rules largely because of concerns over the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, which it has proscribed as a terrorist organisation.
In Britain, universities already have a legal duty to comply with Prevent, the Government’s counter-extremism strategy, which states that they must have due regard to the need to protect people from being drawn into terrorism.
But under the plans, the Office for Students higher education watchdog will play a more prominent role in monitoring universities’ compliance. If institutions fail to meet their legal duties, the regulator has powers to intervene, including imposing sanctions or deregistering them.
‘There must be no place for hate crimes’
Officials at the Department for Education are drawing up guidance on how universities should manage the risk of external speakers and events by carrying out “appropriate risk checks where free speech crosses into unlawful activity or support for terrorism”.
Ms Phillipson added: “Many universities are already working tirelessly to support their students and uphold the law, and they deserve our backing, which is why we are taking action to strengthen the support available to them.
“Free speech is a core pillar of our society and our universities, but we must also be clear about where the line is drawn. There must be no place for hate crimes, intimidation or attempts to draw students into terrorism.”
A leaked copy of an action plan warns that cohesion in communities has been broken down by mass immigration and the use of social media to spread hate. It states that Britain’s “historic social cohesion that has kept us united in the face of adversity” is “under threat”.
It notes: “For many living in the UK, the changes brought about by mass migration have been too much, too quickly, leaving people feeling as though they are losing their local and national identity.”
Describing integration as “a two-way street”, it calls for “respect for different cultures” and states that “newcomers have a responsibility to engage with and embrace what it means to be British”.