Michelle Shipworth, an associate professor at University College London (UCL), has for several years taught a “data detectives” masters module on research methods that teaches students to critically appraise the use of data. One exercise involves discussing a Global Slavery Index finding that China has the second highest prevalence of modern slavery in the world, to help students understand the flawed nature of the data on which it is based.

Last October, one Chinese student complained that the example was a “horrible provocation”. Shipworth was asked by her head of department to remove the example from her course. A few weeks later, she was told complaints had been raised about her “bias” against students from China, based on the fact that two Chinese students had been expelled from the university after she discovered they had been cheating; she was told she could no longer teach her module and she should not post on social media about “educational issues about only one country”. The email expressed concern that if there was perception or misperception of bias, this could threaten the commercial viability of UCL courses.

This is but one case that highlights the fragility of academic freedom and free speech in British universities. This year, an employment tribunal found the Open University had facilitated a “targeted campaign of harassment” against Prof Jo Phoenix in a way that suppressed her academic freedom and amounted to constructive dismissal because of her gender-critical belief that sex is relevant in society. There are other cases of universities unlawfully suppressing gender-critical speech and research.

It takes huge courage to blow the whistle like Shipworth and Phoenix: an alarm bell that something is seriously amiss at a time where........

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