RSE endorses ALLEA statement on threats to academic freedom and international research collaboration in the United States

Recent restrictions on science and scholarship by the new U.S. Administration’s executive orders freezing billions in federal research funding and censoring research on topics such as climate change and gender has prompted ALLEA to respond with this statement calling for our members, partners, and like-minded organisations, and urging national governments and international institutions in the U.S., Europe and beyond to remain vigilant and strengthen ongoing efforts to safeguard academic freedom and the autonomy of scientific institutions.

Full statement

The European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities expresses grave concern over the escalating threats to academic freedom, both in the United States and beyond. Recent developments regarding science and scholarship in the U.S., including executive orders freezing billions in federal research funding and censorship around topics such as climate change and gender, are forcing many U.S. science agencies and research organisations to abruptly suspend normal operations. Such censorship and political suppression of language, research topics, and methodologies—whether through funding restrictions, legislative control, or institutional interference—fundamentally compromise the integrity of scientific and scholarly endeavours not just in the U.S. but around the world due to the global nature of the research ecosystem.[1]

Academic freedom is a fundamental pillar of democratic societies and essential for knowledge production and innovation worldwide. The open and collaborative nature of global research strongly depends on the ability of researchers and scientific institutions to operate free from undue political interference.[2] ALLEA is deeply concerned that the actions of the U.S. administration could have far-reaching and devastating consequences for essential (global) research programmes, particularly in fields such as health, climate, gender, and the social sciences. These new restrictions also threaten the careers of the younger generation of scholars, engineers, and health professionals, and may cause lasting harm to the fundamental research that underpins most scientific breakthroughs, as well as efforts to secure a healthy, just, and safe world for all. For instance, restricting transatlantic data sharing jeopardises research on both sides of the Atlantic, putting at risk decades of collaboration that have led to groundbreaking discoveries. The long and fine tradition of data exchange between the U.S. and Europe has been instrumental in advancing scientific progress, and the new executive orders set back not just science but society as a whole.

We therefore encourage our members, partners, and like-minded organisations, and urge national governments and international institutions in the U.S., Europe and beyond to remain vigilant and strengthen ongoing efforts to safeguard academic freedom and the autonomy of scientific institutions, committing to actions and measures adopted through inter-institutional and supranational agreements in Europe and globally.[3]

Visit allea.org. to view full list of signatories

Get involved

If you would like to join the efforts to stand up for Academic Freedom, consider:

• Endorsing the statement on behalf of your organisation by visiting allea.org and clicking the “endorse” link or encouraging your organisation to endorse the statement. [Institutional endorsements only!]
• Sharing the statement with your networks to raise awareness.
• Engaging with national and regional policymakers to reinforce the importance of academic freedom.

References

1 The executive orders concern pauses of scientific work, current funding and new grant programmes, withdrawn solicitations, and removal of databases. For an overview of the cuts and their impact, see: Trump orders cause chaos at science agencies. [Accessed 19/02/2025].

2 See previous statements and ongoing initiatives advocating for academic freedom, for instance, Academic Freedom – ALLEA; Stockholm Charter for Academic Freedom; Royal Irish Academy Statement on the Principles of Academic Freedom. [ All accessed 19/02/2025] .

3 See, for example, the European Parliament’s resolution on promotion of the freedom of scientific research in the EU and UNESCO’s Call to Action on the Freedom and Safety of Scientists. [ All accessed 19/02/2025] .

About ALLEA

ALLEA is the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, representing approximately 60 academies from 40 countries in Europe. Since its foundation in 1994, ALLEA speaks out on behalf of its members on the European and international stages, promotes science as a global public good, and facilitates scientific collaboration across borders and disciplines. Learn more here: http://www.allea.org.

Citation: For citation purposes, please use the following: ALLEA, ALLEA Statement on Threats to Academic Freedom and International Research Collaboration in the United States (2025), ALLEA, DOI: 10.26356/ALLEA-ACADEMIC-FREEDOM-STATEMENT.

Licence: This work is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are cited (CC BY 4.0). The detailed licence terms are available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0.