In a bold move to assert the role of universities in defending intellectual autonomy, on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, the Social Welfare Studies Program (IKS) of the Faculty of Da‘wah and Communication (FDK) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, in collaboration with the Sociology Program of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FISHUM) and The Indonesian Institute (TII), convened a high-level academic lecture titled “Safeguarding Academic Freedom: From Mapping Violations to Policy Action.”

The forum featured three distinguished speakers: Prof. Dr. Arif Maftuhin (Dean of FDK and Professor at UIN Sunan Kalijaga), Adinda Tenriangke Muchtar, Ph.D (Executive Director of TII), and Ahmad Uzair Fauzan, Ph.D (Lecturer in Sociology at UIN Sunan Kalijaga).

In his opening remarks, Muhammad Izzul Haq, Ph.D, Head of the Social Welfare Studies Program, expressed his deep appreciation for the tri-party collaboration. “This is not merely an academic forum,” he noted, “but part of a broader commitment to engage universities in the active shaping of public policy. We hope the findings presented today will strengthen protections for academic freedom in Indonesia and inform both regulation and practice on campuses nationwide.”

The event provided a critical platform for disseminating TII’s latest research on academic freedom in Indonesian higher education, while also fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing one of academia’s most pressing issues.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Dr. Arif Maftuhin stressed that academic freedom is inseparable from the scholarly community’s commitment to truth and social responsibility. “Academic freedom is not only a right for lecturers or students—it is a public trust. It must be protected to ensure the birth of knowledge with integrity,” he said.

He added that within Indonesia’s democratic context, universities must remain safe havens for critical thinking and drivers of constructive policy reform.

Presenting key findings from TII’s nationwide research, Adinda Tenriangke Muchtar, Ph.D revealed that between 2019 and mid-July 2025, at least 86 cases of academic freedom violations were documented. These included physical violence, legal and administrative sanctions, cancellation of academic events, and restrictions on expression and information.

“Despite the existence of legal frameworks, academic freedom remains far from a priority for policymakers. Enforcement is inconsistent, and too often the violators are those tasked with protecting academic institutions,” she asserted.

TII’s recommendations include drafting specific legislation to protect academic freedom, establishing emergency standard operating procedures (SOPs) on campuses, enhancing the capacity of law enforcement, and revising ambiguous articles within Indonesia’s Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law and Penal Code.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Uzair Fauzan, Ph.D, underlined that academic freedom is the cornerstone of institutional independence and a critical buffer against authoritarianism. However, he emphasized that freedom is not absolute. “Academic freedom must be exercised with responsibility. It cannot be used to degrade the dignity of others. Limited compromises are necessary—for instance, to uphold the right to life and prevent violence,” he said.

He argued that a culture of academic independence promotes accountability, cultivates critical thought, and nurtures deliberative democracy. In contrast, a culture of conformity stifles the intellectual vitality of academic communities.

Following the keynote presentations, an interactive discussion took place between the speakers and a packed audience of students and faculty, whose engagement reflected the urgency of academic freedom as a cornerstone of democratic life and scientific pursuit in Indonesia.

The event concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the IKS Program and The Indonesian Institute to establish ongoing collaboration in education, research, and policy advocacy. The forum also saw the symbolic signing of a joint declaration in support of academic freedom, inspired by the 2017 Surabaya Principles on Academic Freedom.