At least two universities have revised academic job adverts after pressure from free speech campaigners, marking one of the first tangible effects of new legislation in England.

The adverts initially required applicants to explicitly commit to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles as part of their applications.

Campaigners say these types of requirements breach the Freedom of Speech (Higher Education) Act, parts of which came into effect on 1 August, which was designed to protect free speech and academic freedom on campuses. This makes it clear that universities cannot demand that applicants express or support particular values in order to be hired.

At King’s College London, applicants were asked to submit a statement of “past/current experience of supporting student welfare and equality, diversity & inclusion in the higher education context”.

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At Manchester Metropolitan University, the job description required the role-holder to commit to promoting equity in their area and personal conduct, alongside adherence to other institutional values.

Both universities have amended their adverts following interventions by campaigners. Manchester Met stressed the changes were made before the new rules came into force after a review of recruitment procedures to ensure they are compliant.

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Abhishek Saha, a professor of mathematical sciences at Queen Mary University of London and a founding member of the London Universities’ Council for Academic Freedom, told �վ���������ᾱ������������ܳ����پ��Dz�: “These incidents show that many universities are either unaware of, or unwilling to implement, the new legal protections for free speech and academic freedom.

“Universities may rightly demand expertise in particular areas or theoretical perspectives. But they cannot make job offers conditional on agreement with EDI policies or other ideological positions.”

Saha added that conditioning recruitment on support for EDI or other socio-political agendas risks “compelled speech, restricts intellectual diversity, rewards performative virtue-signalling, and functions as an ideological litmus test”.

In guidance on how to follow the new law, parts of which are still to be enacted, the Office for Students flagged that “job adverts requiring commitments to political aims” should be withdrawn.

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The regulator’s director for freedom of speech and academic freedom Arif Ahmed said earlier this year that it is “absolutely right” universities support EDI and it is “possible to do so in ways that are entirely consistent with freedom of speech duties”.

Some universities including the University of Cambridge and Durham University also altered recruitment practices before the new rules came in to remove requirements for explicit support of EDI initiatives.

Saha said universities that continue to require applicants to demonstrate adherence to particular ideological positions risk breaching the law and undermining academic freedom.

“Recruitment should be based on expertise and qualifications, not ideological conformity,” he said.

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King’s College London were contacted for comment. 

tash.mosheim@timeshighereducation.com