Center for International Human Rights

The recent events on university campuses in the US and abroad have generated critical questions about the continuing relevance and resilience of academic freedom in the academy. Traditionally considered a defining feature of the academic universe, academic freedom is under attack on multiple fronts. Questions have been raised concerning its conceptual reach and, in particular, whether it should be confined to "freedom of inquiry and research and freedom of teaching within the university" or whether it can also encompass "freedom of extramural utterance and action" (as per the AAUP's 1915 Declaration). Questions have also been raised concerning the relation between university autonomy and academic freedom in light of the growing interventions by entities outside the academy (lawmakers and donors) and the impact of such interventions on institutional autonomy and shared governance. These queries also point to the broader issue of the university as a bearer of rights and responsibilities.

The Center for International Human Rights was invited to visit the offices at the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) at United Nations Headquarters in New York on December 5, 2025. PBC is an intergovernmental advisory body of the General Assembly and the Security Council that supports peacebuilding efforts in countries emerging from conflict. It was established in 2005 to assist countries in the transition from war to peace by coordinating international efforts and strategies for post-conflict recovery. The three main goals of the PBC include political accompaniment and advocacy, resource mobilization, and fostering coherence. The group included CIHR staff, undergraduate students from John Jay College, including members of the Model UN team, along with Professor M. Victoria Rios-Perez, and doctoral students from the Graduate Center.