A new “Free to Think” report by Scholars at Risk (SAR) documents 40 attacks on academic freedom in the first half of 2025 across U.S. institutions.
These incidents range from revocation of research funding and attempts to deport foreign scholars, to policy-driven restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. SAR says this is an “unprecedented in history” wave of attacks by a global education leader.
The report notes a sharp rise from 80 documented pressure cases in the previous year, indicating acceleration of institutional constraints and political interference in academia.
U.S. and international universities have expressed concern, arguing such trends weaken global research collaboration and reputation.
For global readers, it signals erosion in academic norms in a major democracy. For Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan media, it offers a cautionary tale and a comparative lens to assess threats to academic freedom in their own contexts.
