NewFAV - New Fundamental Academic Values

How the fundamental values were adopted

The six Fundamental Academic Values represent a landmark achievement in European higher education cooperation. They were adopted by the Ministers of EHEA following a comprehensive consultation process involving universities, student organizations, academic staff, and policy makers across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This process was supported by the EHEA Working Group on Fundamental Values, which was mandated to analyse developments, consult stakeholders, and develop the statements on the fundamental values that were subsequently endorsed by the Ministers. Through this collaborative effort, the fundamental values were established as the ethical and operational foundation of the European Higher Education Area and of modern academic institutions.

Academic freedom

denotes the freedom of academic staff and students to engage in research, teaching, learning and communication in and with society without interference nor fear of reprisal

Core freedoms:

Freedom of research

Liberty to pursue research topics and methodologies without censorship

Freedom of teaching

Autonomy in the content of and pedagogical approaches to teaching

Freedom of learning

Freedom to think, to question, and to share ideas.

Academic integrity

denotes a set of behaviours and attitudes in the academic community internalising and furthering compliance with ethical and professional principles and standards in learning, teaching, research, governance, outreach, and any other tasks related to the missions of higher education.

Key components :

Scope

Applies to learning, teaching, research, governance, outreach, and any other tasks related to HE missions

Key qualities (non-exhaustive list)

Honesty, Transparency, Fairness, Trust, Responsibility, Respect, Courage

Shared responsibility

Public authorities, higher education institutions, and the academic community share responsibility for fostering academic integrity

Institutional autonomy

denotes the will and ability of higher education institutions to fulfill their missions without undue interference and to set and implement their own priorities and policies concerning organisation, finance, staffing and academic affairs.

Four dimensions of autonomy:

Organizational autonomy

Freedom to determine internal organization, decision-making processes, and strategic direction

Financial autonomy

Ability to decide freely on internal financial affairs and allocate funding according to needs/priorities

Staffing autonomy

Ability to hire, promote, and retain staff (academic, technical, administrative) while ensuring fairness, transparency, and non-discrimination

Academic autonomy

Ability to decide on admissions, curriculum design, and the introduction and termination of programs

Student and staff participation in higher education governance

encompasses their right to organise autonomously, in accordance with the principle of partnership and collegiality, without pressure or undue interference; to elect and be elected in open, free and fair elections; have their views represent-ed and taken into account; initiate and participate in all debates and decision-making in all governing bodies; and, through their representative organisations, be duly involved in issues concerning the governance and further development of the relevant higher education institutions and system.

Key rights:

Freedom to organize

Right to form associations, unions, and representative bodies, without pressure or undue interference

Electoral rights

The right to elect and be elected in open, free, and fair elections

Consultation rights

The right to be consulted on issues concerning the governance and development of the institution/system

Representation rights

The right to have student and staff views represented and taken into account

Participation rights

The right to initiate and participate in all debates in all governing bodies

Protection of voice

The freedom to express views without fear of reprisal as an inseparable element of academic freedom

Public responsibility FOR higher education

denotes a set of duties, mainly exercised at the level of the national higher education system, which public authorities must fulfil as part of their overall responsibility for the education sector and society as a whole.

Core duties

Protecting the fundamental values

Safeguarding all fundamental values of higher education

Legal framework

Ensuring the frameworks function adequately (legal , qualifications , quality assurance, recognition, information provision, funding and social dimension)

Public trust

Ensuring the proper functioning of the higher education system for the benefit of society, individual development, and the academic community of staff and students.

Financial support

Adequate public funding for teaching, research, and infrastructure

Equitable access

Ensuring that all qualified candidates enjoy effective equal opportunities to undertake and complete higher education, regardless of background

Public responsibility OF higher education

denotes the obligations of the higher education community to the broader society of which the higher education community is a part

Institutional obligations:

Knowledge creation

Research and innovation addressing societal needs

Addressing challenges

Contributing solutions to global challenges (climate change, health crises, and social issues) through research, learning, and outreach

Participating in designing solutions and providing expertise

Civic engagement

Working with the society and local community to help improve opportunities for all members

Informing society

Providing public information about societal risks determined by research and scholarship.

The 6 Fundamental Values