NEAR Newsletter September 2011
Welcome to the NEAR Newsletter. In this edition you will find our most recent Action Alerts and also an ‘Academic Freedom in the Media’ section, listing news by country (September 2011). Any comments and suggestions about the content and layout of the newsletter will be gratefully received at roisin.joyce@nearinternational.org.
NEAR Action Alerts *Taken from the NEAR website
Iran: Iranian student activists freed after several years in prison
The Iranian authorities have freed several dozens of political prisoners on 27 August 2011, including student activists, on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, end of the holy month of Ramadan celebration, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported on 29 August.
United Kingdom: Scottish university in research fight with tobacco firm
Philip Morris International (PMI), one of the world’s largest tobacco companies which produce Marlboro cigarettes, is using Scottish Freedom of Information Laws to request access to research on smoker teenagers detained by Stirling University.
Chad: Students facing trial over pro-reform propaganda
Two Chadian students, who have been held by Chadian authorities for four months for allegedly planning pro-democracy protests in the country, face their trial this week. Amnesty International calls for their immediate and unconditional release.
Bahrain: Bahraini students, academics and university staff expelled over pro-democracy protests
Hundreds of Bahraini students, academics and university staff from universities across Bahrain were expelled and banned from studying or working in universities for allegedly taking part in pro-reform protests earlier this year. Bahraini universities reopened for a new academic year on 25 September, yet it remains unclear whether they will be allowed to resume their activities.
** Please continue to send us any relevant cases involving threats to academic freedom and education rights, for potential alerts.
Academic Freedom in the Media *By country, taken from the NEAR website
Afghanistan
AFGHANISTAN: University project on track after attack
University World News, 01/09/2011
Angola
Students are rattling Angola's regime
The Guardian, 17/09/2011
Australia
AUSTRALIA: Help for Libyan students
University World News, 01/09/2011
Time is ripe for intellectual policies
The Australian, 21/09/2011
AUSTRALIA: Academic freedom on the agenda
University World News, 25/09/2011
Bahrain
Bahraini Students Uncertain Over Future
Voice of America, 21/09/2011
Bahrain: Reinstate Ousted Students, Faculty
Human Rights Watch, 24/09/2011
Chad
Chadian students to face trial over protest pamphlets
Amnesty International, 12/09/2011
Chile
Students vs. the state
Reuters, 08/09/2011
CHILE: Students make demands in three-month conflict
University World News, 15/09/2011
CHILE: Government rejects student demands
University World News, 17/09/2011
Chile students stage mass protest for education
BBC, 23/09/2011
Chilean students agree to talks after huge protests
AFP, 28/09/2011
China
Activist Freed, With Injuries
Radio Free Asia, 05/09/2011
Uyghur Scholar's Classes Canceled
Radio Free Asia, 21/09/2011
CHINA: Mao raises questions over celebrity professors
University World News, 25/09/2011
Scientist's Award Defended
Radio Free Asia, 26/09/2011
Laid Off Profs Reject Deal
Radio Free Asia, 27/09/2011
Dissident Suffers Beatings in Detention
Radio Free Asia, 29/09/2011
Colombia
Colombian teachers, students protest education reforms
Colombia Reports, 07/09/2011
Egypt
EGYPT: Partial university elections anger academics
University World News, 03/09/2011
Students and workers on strike at American University in Cairo
Ahram Online, 11/09/2011
Egyptian student protests hit elite Cairo university
The Guardian, 15/09/2011
Egypt's revolution has reached its universities
The Guardian, 20/09/2011
Defusing Tensions in Egypt
Inside Higher Education, 20/09/2011
Ethiopia
ETHIOPIA: Agency shuts private colleges over quality
University World News, 11/09/2011
Germany
GERMANY: State to set 'quota' for women professors
University World News, 11/09/2011
Greece
GREECE: Protests erupt over higher education reform
University World News, 04/09/2011
GREECE: Students escalate opposition to reforms
University World News, 25/09/2011
Iran
Student Activist in Solitary Confinement on Hunger Strike
The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, 02/09/2011
Iranian University doors closed for Baha’i Professors, administrators and students
Iran Press Watch, 04/09/2011
Political Prisoner’s Friend Commits Suicide After Release
The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, 06/09/2011
Wife Raises Health Alarm Over Jailed Iranian Religious Scholar
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 06/09/2011
Azeri Activists Arrested In Iran Over Lake Protest
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 15/09/2011
Iranian Doctoral Student Lashed In Connection With Postelection Arrest*
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 16/09/2011
Iran Permanently Bans Prominent Jailed Student From Studies
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 21/09/2011
Iran Reschedules Espionage Trial for Texas Graduate Student
Sciences, 22/09/2011
IRAN: Baha'i educators' lawyer arrested
University World News, 25/09/2011
Investigate Two Tragic Suicides of Close Friends of Detained Activist
The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, 30/09/2011
Libya
LIBYA: New regime plans to reopen universities soon
University World News, 01/09/2011
LIBYA: Students speak about the rebellion, the future
University World News, 11/09/2011
Libya university asks LSE to return Gaddafi cash
The Guardian, 21/09/2011
Libya's main university prepares new term for a new dawn
The Guardian, 21/09/2011
Malawi
Academic freedom struggle to mark 250 days
The Nation Online, 16/09/2011
MALAWI: Police quiz academics over pressure group
University World News, 25/09/2011
Drama at burial of Poly 'suicide' student, Robert Chasowa
The Maravi Post, 26/09/2011
Malaysia
Malaysia to repeal law used to stifle dissent
Amnesty International, 16/09/2011
MALAYSIA: Strong calls for review of university act
University World News, 25/09/2011
Nepal
Students protest against Gajurel in Itahari
The Himalayan Times, 15/09/2011
New Zealand
NEW ZEALAND: University rejects calls to sack academic
University World News, 11/09/2011
Students protest against voluntary membership bill
Radio New Zealand, 26/09/2011
Nigeria
Nigeria: Boko Haram Targets Universities
AllAfrica, 15/09/2011
NIGERIA: Campus security reviewed after threats
University World News, 25/09/2011
Pakistan
US cause of violence in Pakistan say Islamabad students
BBC, 11/09/2011
PAKISTAN: Central role for universities in new policy
University World News, 30/09/2011
Peru
PERU: Vatican threatens university's Catholic status
University World News, 04/09/2011
Philippines
PHILIPPINES: Iranian students file racism rap
University World News, 25/09/2011
Rwanda
Rwanda: Students Stranded As Makerere University Closes
AllAfrica, 01/09/2011
Saudi Arabia
A Photography Professor Struggles With Saudi Culture in Transition
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 04/09/2011
A Slowly Modernizing Saudi Arabia Courts Foreign Academic Partners With Cash
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 25/09/2011
Senegal
SENEGAL: Radical reforms for higher education
University World News, 18/09/2011
Somalia
Dodging the bombs and bullets to get to campus
The Times Higher Education, 01/09/2011
Sri Lanka
SRI LANKA: Strike threat over private medical school
University World News, 08/09/2011
SRI LANKA: Laws to prevent lecturers going private
University World News, 18/09/2011
Swaziland
SWAZILAND: University re-opens, for some
University World News, 04/09/2011
Swazi security forces clash with students
The Mail & Guardian, 08/09/2011
South African unionists deported in Swazi protest crackdown
The Botswana Gazette, 08/09/2011
Syria
Syria 'targeting Homs scientists'
BBC, 28/09/2011
Taiwan
‘Spying’ professor quizzed
Taipei Times, 30/09/2011
Thailand
Rethink lese majeste law, academics say
Bangkok Post, 02/09/2011
Turkey
Academy of Sciences faces mass resignations
Hurriyet, 05/09/2011
16 students detained during protest
Hurriyet, 29/09/2011
Turkmenistan
Turkmen Officials Ban Students From Studies In Tajikistan
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 12/09/2011
Uganda
Uganda: Students Withdraw Makerere Suit
AllAfrica, 11/09/2011
Uganda: Mamdani Was Wrong On Makerere Researchers
AllAfrica, 12/09/2011
UGANDA: Lecturers divided over Makerere re-opening
University World News, 25/09/2011
United Kingdom
Tobacco firm demands university's research on children and smoking
The Guardian, 01/09/2011
Blair helped Saif Gadaffi with his LSE doctorate
The Sunday Times, 04/09/2011
Let's get this straight. Gender studies isn't about 'women good, men bad'
The Guardian, 07/09/2011
Universities should refuse to spy on their Muslim students
The Guardian, 12/09/2011
Student in al-Qaida raid paid £20,000 by police
The Guardian, 14/09/2011
LSE scholar admits race analysis was 'flawed'
The Times Higher Education, 15/09/2011
Visa reform questioned again as passage from India shows signs of blockage
The Times Higher Education, 15/09/2011
Muslim students face finance dilemma over tuition fees
BBC, 21/09/2011
Victoria values: reign abroad but protect one's reputation
The Times Higher Education, 22/09/2011
UK: Russell Group criticises access policies
University World News, 25/09/2011
UK-Afghan joint venture survives the bomb blast
The Times Higher Education, 29/09/2011
Universities report 1,500 concerns over foreign students every month
The Telegraph, 29/09/2011
Academic life unfair, say women of a certain age
The Times Higher Education, 29/09/2011
United States of America
For Illegal-Immigrant Students, New Policy on Deportations Offers Limited Relief
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 01/09/2011
Clarification or Power Grab?
Inside Higher Education, 01/09/2011
How Can US. Scholars Resist China’s Control?
The New York Times, 01/09/2011
Cutting Back on Kazakh
Inside Higher Education, 02/09/2011
Academic publishers run a guarded knowledge economy
The Guardian, 02/09/2011
Fighting for Confidentiality
Inside Higher Education, 06/09/2011
Muslim students stand trial for speech disruption
Associated Press, 07/09/2011
Dealing With Fine Print
Inside Higher Education, 08/09/2011
A Dissenter Is Fired
Inside Higher Education, 08/09/2011
Women's Colleges Try New Strategies for Success
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 11/09/2011
Who Sets E-Mail Rules?
Inside Higher Education, 12/09/2011
New Round on Affirmative Action
Inside Higher Education, 12/09/2011
Call to Balance FOIA Laws and Professors' Rights
Inside Higher Education, 12/09/2011
Wards of the Court
Inside Higher Education, 14/09/2011
Academic Freedom Challenged
Chemical and Engineering News, 19/09/2011
Carnegie Mellon in Rwanda
Inside Higher Education, 19/09/2011
Defense closing arguments under way in Muslim student trial in Orange County
The Washington Post, 20/09/2011
Deep Springs Will Admit Women
Inside Higher Education, 20/09/2011
Brooklyn Professors Condemn Police Monitoring of Muslim Student Groups
Inside Higher Education, 21/09/2011
Faculty Members at U. of Rhode Island Question Departure of Gay Students’ Adviser
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 21/09/2011
A Civilized Debate
Inside Higher Education, 22/09/2011
US students convicted for disrupting speech
AlJazeera, 24/09/2011
Supreme Court to Weigh Religious Institutions' Leeway to Declare Employees Exempt From Federal Protections
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 25/09/2011
Behind the scenes with Israel's campus lobby
AlJazeera, 26/09/2011
Uzbekistan
Uzbek Students Used As Forced Labor During Cotton Harvest
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 13/09/2011
Various Countries
GLOBAL: The changing concerns of higher education
University World News, 04/09/2011
Female research dropouts threaten Europe's targets
The Times Higher Education, 08/09/2011
Revolutions Yet to Happen
Inside Higher Education, 08/09/2011
In Africa's universities, quantity threatens quality
The Guardian, 09/09/2011
GULF STATES: Women's studies find a champion
University World News, 11/09/2011
MIDDLE EAST: Higher education needs a revolution
University World News, 18/09/2011
You can't have it, it's private
The Times Higher Education, 22/09/2011
Potential of the 'Arab Spring'
Inside Higher Education, 22/09/2011
Wake-up call for Europe to quicken Spring awakening
The Times Higher Education, 22/09/2011
From the heat of persecution to the cold shadow of neglect
The Times Higher Education, 29/09/2011
Zimbabwe
ZIMBABWE: Students send protest alerts to leaders
University World News, 18/09/2011
Spooks stifle academic freedom
The Standard, 24/09/2011
The Network for Education and Academic Rights (NEAR) is a membership-based, non-governmental organisation which facilitates international collaboration between organisations active in issues of academic freedom and educational rights, and committed to promoting an understanding of, and respect for, the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
For more information about NEAR, please visit our website at www.nearinternational.org
For further information please contact:-
Roisin Joyce
Deputy Director
roisin.joyce@nearinternational.org