PART 1STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
Academic freedom and institutional autonomy
I1I217Academic freedom of higher education providers and staff
1
In exercising their functions under this Act, the Welsh Ministers and the Commission must have regard to the importance of protecting the academic freedom of—
a
tertiary education providers in Wales that provide higher education (so far as the freedom relates to higher education or research and innovation), and
b
academic staff at those providers.
2
In this section, “academic freedom” means—
a
in relation to tertiary education providers, their freedom to determine—
i
the contents of particular higher education courses and the manner in which they are taught, supervised or assessed,
ii
the criteria for admission of students to higher education courses and to apply those criteria in particular cases, and
iii
the criteria for the selection and appointment of academic staff and to apply those criteria in particular cases;
b
in relation to academic staff, their freedom within the law—
i
to question and test received wisdom, and
ii
to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions,
without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs or privileges they may have at the tertiary education providers.