Mission of the Inter-Senate Committee of the Universities for the Protection of Academic Independence

The academic independence of the universities in Israel is guaranteed by the Law of the Council for Higher Education (1958), which states: “A recognized institution is free to manage its academic and administrative affairs, within its budget, as it sees fit”. The freedom and independence that universities have enjoyed in close to 80 years of higher education in Israel brought with them scientific, technological, and cultural progress and enhanced the country’s economy, security, and culture as well as to the standard of living of its citizens. In recent years, this cherished independence has come under repeated attack by government agencies and by legislation which was proposed in the Knesset.

The Inter-Senate Committee of the Universities for the Protection of Academic Independence was formed as a result of the decisions of the senates of the universities to fight any attempt by the government or other bodies to impose decisions contrary to the principles of academic freedom. The committee’s mission is to coordinate the struggle against attempts to inhibit the independence of the universities, to educate the public in regard to the damage this will cause, and to deflect any attempts to legislate new laws that will diminish this independence.