Academic freedom as an individual and institutional right: the case of the South Caucasus

Abstract

Based on the latest data, academic freedom has declined in 50 countries, and only nine countries have showed an increase (Kinzelbach et al 2026). Academic freedom across Europe is under increasing pressure (CoE 2025). Many of the conditions affecting academic freedom therein also appear in the South Caucasus (Maassen et al 2025). This policy brief explores academic freedom promotion and protection practices in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia through a human rights-based approach, looking at the academic freedom as both an individual and institutional right. While these countries to some extent recognise it as part of their primary and secondary laws, there is a gap between laws and practice. For example, Armenia and Georgia are partially in compliance with European and international standards but face challenges related to political influence over university governance, accreditation and funding, leading to self-censorship. In Azerbaijan, there is systemic repression, strong political control and academic expression challenged with imprisonment. Overall, academic institutions, academics and students experience weak institutional autonomy, lack of independent oversight mechanisms and absence of effective remedies for violations. This policy brief recommends aligning national frameworks with international human rights standards, establishing independent monitoring and protection bodies, strengthening institutional autonomy and collegial governance, introducing a tenure system and investing in awareness-raising and capacity-building at universities. Academic freedom should also become a clear benchmark in cooperation agreements, regional funding opportunities, linking these to academic freedom safeguards, with external evaluation and early-warning mechanisms.