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In recent months, various situations have arisen in different countries that pose risks to university autonomy and to the academic freedom of professors. University autonomy is of great importance for the future of society, as it is linked to the search for truth, to freedom of thought, to a critical view of society and, in the case of Catholic universities, it is related to the value of the transcendent, in the search for dialogue between faith and reason.

It is crucial because it refers to the degree of freedom that universities enjoy in terms of their own governance, defining their mission and academic project, their strategic development lines, the academic freedom of their professors, academic programmes, the hiring of their teachers, the development of research, and the administration of their financial resources, all without external impediments or interference.

University autonomy is an essential component of the proper functioning of the university system, closely linked to academic freedom and the quality of education and research, its delivery and contribution to society. The importance of revisiting these concepts stems from the fact that both in our country and internationally there are growing tensions surrounding university autonomy, due to political, financial, social, religious and cultural factors.

Current challenges

Since the origin of universities, the issue has been a source of tension, as it is understood that university autonomy is key and a necessary condition for higher education institutions to make a critical contribution to society through the comprehensive education of young people, research and their social and cultural contribution to the country.

This article briefly analyses the issue, emphasising its characteristics and the risks we currently face. In accordance with what has been stated, since their inception, universities have considered autonomy to be a fundamental value, and one of the main tasks of those who lead these institutions is to protect it. By safeguarding this precious value, we have seen an enrichment of the university curriculum and teaching, of research and contribution to society, of financial sustainability and of the virtuous relationship with grassroots communities and society. In recent years, however, this has been put at risk by events and actions in different parts of the world that are important to highlight.

Risks and threats

University autonomy can be affected by at least five different factors, some of which may be interrelated and include both external and internal factors.

The first relates to state interference. Undoubtedly, the state must ensure the academic quality and financial stability of institutions to respond to the trust placed in them by families and students. However, different governments and authorities have sought to influence and regulate the higher education system beyond the limits established by legislation.

This reality has been very clear in various parts of the world, notably in the serious conflict over academic autonomy and the provision of funding for research that has arisen between the current US government and prestigious leading universities in higher education worldwide.

For their part, Catholic universities, whose mission and vision are aligned with the teachings of the Church and whose work and autonomy are backed by the Apostolic Constitution itself, are oriented towards the transcendent search for truth. It is essential that the role of Church authorities be clearly defined. Thus, there must be adequate respect and differentiation regarding the tasks of teaching, training, research and the creation of new knowledge, together with the connection to the environment with which universities interact and serve.

From an internal perspective, there are also risks associated with the capture of institutions by students or professors. This can manifest itself, for example, through the occupation of university spaces, limiting the free development of university work and preventing the institution from carrying out its own tasks, which benefit students, professors, professional and administrative staff, and society.

It is also affected by various acts of censorship of the expression of ideas, or through harassment in-person or on social media that has been seen among students, which has also included teachers, a very harmful phenomenon observed both in Chile and abroad.

The autonomy of professors is also affected by the perpetuation of a single mindset through influencing the hiring processes of academics, with biased decisions that may be based on political, cultural or personal interests, thus consolidating a homogeneous view within a faculty or the university itself. This limits and impoverishes the wealth of diverse, different and complementary ideas. These risks are real, present and have been frequently observed in our national university system for many years.

Another risk factor is university funding, which must be stable and planned with caution and prudence to avoid unreasonable debt, considering the growth and development of each institution. In recent years, we have seen a significant number of universities experience financial problems because they took greater risks than they should have, which has led to heavy debt, loss of autonomy, critical situations of mass dismissals and, in extreme cases, risks to the sustainability and projections of the university project.

Fifthly, there are risks associated with the resources that private individuals can contribute to institutions. Universities, requiring external contributions from both individuals and companies for their growth in specific areas, carry out donation campaigns that are widely publicised in society. These initiatives seek to establish endowment funds for their development.

However, these contributions, which are necessary and highly relevant for the necessary growth of universities—and through this, to be able to make a greater contribution to the country—must be made without conditions and with total independence from teaching and research policies. That is, without affecting institutional autonomy, guaranteeing the freedom of development of the university project.

Strengthening autonomy

The conditions and threats described are always latent and can arise without warning, so the institution's authorities, especially the highest authority, must be alert and always maintain the capacity to detect them, take appropriate measures and thus safeguard university autonomy.

Given the above, it is undoubtedly important to implement measures to safeguard the necessary autonomy of universities. First, it is necessary to have university statutes that explicitly set out the conditions of university work. In some countries, this autonomy is even enshrined in the Constitution. To safeguard autonomy, competent leadership, a formal and well-known system for electing academic authorities, well-designed internal governance structures, and administrative staff with technical expertise are needed.

Furthermore, it is important to have quality control and evaluation of processes, transparency in decision-making and presentation of results, with adequate management and internal evaluation systems. Along with this, it is essential to have policies that safeguard academic freedom, the integrity of the curriculum, international presence and academic solidarity networks that can provide support in difficult situations.

On the financial side, it is necessary to design budgets in line with the reality of the institution, as well as transparent and well-known accounting records and mechanisms, with strict accountability for public resources and budgets that favour the diversity of the university's mission.

The future

Based on what has been presented, university autonomy is an essential pillar for preserving academic freedom, the development of teaching and research, quality and innovation, and the contribution of universities to society. The State must ensure academic quality through institutional accreditation systems. This document has described the risks that may affect university autonomy, both from external sources and from within the institution itself due to its own dynamics.

The challenge for the future is to actively monitor ways in which autonomy may be violated, implement measures to protect it, and take actions that promote its preservation and development. In the long term, university autonomy is undoubtedly vital for the development and contribution of the university to society. Analysing, exchanging experiences and debating are very important in preventing the risks described above. In this way, institutional development and the contribution of university institutions to the country are promoted.

Ignacio Sánchez MD is a paediatrician from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile), with a specialisation in paediatric respiratory diseases (University of Manitoba, Canada) and a significant number of publications in the field. He has also published a substantial number of articles on higher education in specialised journals in Chile and abroad. He has published several books which addresses the main issues of educational reform from the perspective of different professors and researchers of the UC Chile. He was President of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. three periods, from 2010 to 2025. He has been awarded a Doctor of Science, Honoris Causa from Drexel University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Los Andes, Colombia.