Most UK students say their universities are places of free speech and debate – although a growing number are aware of free speech being restricted on campus, a study published by King’s College London has found.
The analysis, by KCL’s Policy Institute, found that 65% of students agreed that “free speech and robust debate are well protected in my university”, a higher proportion than the 63% who felt that way in a survey three years ago.
But the survey of 1,500 current students found that one in four had “often” heard of incidents at their university where free speech had been inhibited, double the 12% who said the same in 2019. And 32% said they had not heard of any incidents, fewer than the 44% in 2019.
Students also displayed hostility towards speakers with offensive views but supported the government’s efforts to protect expression and debate on campus through its higher education freedom of speech bill, currently before parliament.
