Universities have a role to play in the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism. But they must also be allowed to balance this against their duty to promote freedom of speech within the law.
Under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 UK universities have a statutory duty to have 'due regard to the need to prevent individuals from being drawn into terrorism'. It is important that universities are supported in meeting this duty but that they also remain spaces where controversial and sometimes offensive ideas can be explored and debated.
Securing freedom of speech within the law - we are working:
- To influence government to adopt a proportionate, reasonable and balanced approach to the role it asks universities to play in the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism
- To ensure that universities remain tolerant and intellectually stimulating spaces in which controversial and offensive ideas can be debated and challenged and freedom of speech within the law is secured
- To support universities in improving and sharing their expertise in preventing terrorism and violent extremis
In achieving these objectives, we work with a number of government departments and organisations including the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which has responsibility for assessing compliance with the statutory duty in England.
