Are Academics Afraid To Speak Their Minds?

Can European student cards become reality?

Recent European Student Card (ESC) conference in Münster, Germany promoted a vision of access to different student services, restaurants, libraries and local public transportation. The idea behind ESC shows the concept of having multifunctional card with cross-border functionality. More than 80 specialists, international experts and university representatives discussed the potential for this type of card. If ESC becomes reality it will increase student mobility and help students move more freely. The EU will finance prototype project and project developers suggest to have a card that will work with online mobile devices. ESC could potentially serve for transfer of student credit points and records in exchange programmes. It could also provide access to theatres, cinemas, museums and other cultural facilities.

Job offers restored to students by State Department

On Thursday, after an intense lobbying campaign by members of the US Congress and retired diplomats, a concession allowing dozens of minority students and women to become full-fledged diplomats upon receiving prestigious scholarships was announced. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson was persuaded to reverse his earlier decision to rescind job offers for the Foreign Service. “The Department of State has authorized A-100 entry-level Foreign Service Officer classes for July and September… All eligible Pickering and Rangel Fellows have been offered spots in these classes per the terms of their fellowship,” Tillerson’s spokeswoman, Heather Nauert said on Friday, referring to the training program. “We’re pleased the department is honoring its commitment to these fellows so they can pursue their careers in the Foreign Service,” said Senator Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Academics afraid to speak their minds

Important issues are not discussed in universities because academics are afraid of losing their jobs or getting into trouble. Dennis Hayes, professor of education at Derby University believes there is a presence of censorship. Students are protected with ”safe space” policies that ensure their views are protected and there is no offensive language and discrimination toward them. ”No-platforming” is a practice where individual whose views are unacceptable is banned from taking part in a public debate. Professor Hayes believes that universities teach their students what not to say. Instead of this climate, he believes there should be prolific ground for conversations and exchange of ideas between professors and students.

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