Forthcoming Events
May 2025
Tuesday 20 May 2025 is International Academic Freedom Day
November 2024
Friday 29 November at 18.00 In conversation with Simon Fanshawe an Edinburgh AFAF event at Edinburgh University. Free, but registration is required.
**The AFAF Annual Conference will be held on Saturday 23 November from 13.00 – 17.00 in Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London. Free, but by invitation only. Check here regularly for more details.**
Monday 18 November at 18.00 – The fifth Buckingham AFAF Free Speech Seminar with speaker Dr Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, the director of Don’t Divide Us, who will ask Is talking common sense about race taboo? Venue: the Vinson Centre auditorium. Time: 18.00. Free, but registration is required, simply follow the event link.
Tuesday 12 November at 17.30 – How to Disagree Well, with Timandra Harkness. An open lecture at Canterbury Christ Church University, organised by Dr Jennie Bristow with support from Canterbury and Kent AFAF. Free, no registration required.
Past Events
October 2024
Wednesday 30 October at 18.30 A panel debate – Higher Education and Freedom of Speech: Where next? at City University, was organised by AFAF Advisory Board member and co-convenor of the City AFAF Branch, Professor Ian Pace, who introduced the debate.
Monday 28 October at 17.00 – Leeds AFAF Branch Meeting in William Bragg SR (GR.25).
Saturday 19 October – Sunday 20 October Battle of Ideas Festival. ‘FREE SPEECH ALLOWED!’ is the motto of the Battle of Ideas Festival, organised by the Academy of Ideas. This year’s Festival at Church House, Westminster, hosted a hundred lively debates and discussions. There were strands on education, free speech, women’s freedom and more. The Academy of Ideas offered all AFAF network and SAFAF members 20% off weekend and one-day standard and concession tickets. AFAF and SAFAF had a joint stall throughout the weekend.
On Sunday 20 October at 10.00 AFAF director, Professor Dennis Hayes, chaired a Meet the Author session, with the President and CEO of FIRE, Greg Lukianoff, about his new book The Canceling of the American Mind.
On Saturday 19 October at 12.15 AFAF Advisory Board member, Dr Neil Thin, Canterbury and Kent AFAF member, Dr Jennie Bristow, and SAFAF member Maeve Halligan, took part in a debate on The Rise and Fall of the Ivory Tower.
Wednesday 9 October at 19.30 Dennis Hayes gave a talk at a Greater Manchester Humanists’ meeting on Academic Freedom in Universities.
September 2024
Tuesday 24 September at 19.30 – Dennis Hayes spoke on ‘The fear of free speech’ at Politics in Pubs, Manchester, with support from Manchester AFAF Branch. The venue was the Welcome Inn, Prestwich.
Friday 20 September – #Together 3rd Anniversary Event. Two thousand people are expected to attend the third anniversary event of #Together at Central Hall, Westminster. There is an exciting set of speakers, but the event aims to bring together a wide range of individuals and groups committed to upholding all our freedoms. AFAF/SAFAF will have a stall. Do come along and help!
Sunday 15 September – Professor David Paton will be speaking on his personal experience as ‘A Prof in the Eye of the Storm: Cancel Culture in Universities‘ and as the co-convenor of Nottingham Universities AFAF at a Cancelling Cancel Culture Manchester event.
August 2024
AFAF was proud to support Jam For Freedom (8-11 August). Dennis Hayes will be speaking on a panel with Sean Corby on the Sunday!
June 2024
Thursday 27 June at (17.18.00) Leeds AFAF Branch Meeting 5pm – (William Bragg SR, GR.25)
May 2024
Monday 20 May was International Academic Freedom Day (IAFD) See the IAFD web page for details.
April 2024
Tuesday 30 April (18.00-20.00) The Edinburgh University branch of AFAF organised an ‘in conversation‘ event with Jo Phoenix and the president of UCI Scotland, Jeanette Findlay (speaking in a personal capacity), about the implications of her tribunal victory.
Wednesday 24 April (18.00 – 20.00) – the Canterbury and Kent branch of AFAF organised a public lecture at Canterbury Christ Church University when Professor Jo Phoenix will discuss Sex, Gender and Academic Freedom (Michael Berry Lecture Theatre, Old Sessions House).
Wednesday 24 April (16.30) The AFAF Branch at the University of Derby organised the showing of the film Adult Human Female followed by a discussion with the film’s directors. The event was supported by the Derbyshire Branch of the Women’s Rights Network. The event SOLD OUT!
Wednesday 24 April (13.00-18.00) – the QMUL Branch of AFAF and the Free Speech Union organised an afternoon of debates on Free Speech and Academic Freedom across the disciplines
Tuesday 23 April 17.00-18.30 The Leeds University AFAF is held a branch meeting (William Bragg SR – GR.25).
Thursday 16 April (20.00-21.00) saw the April meeting of the Manchester AFAF book group when they discussed The Canceling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott.
March 2024
Tuesday 26 March (18.00) – Buckingham Universities AFAF held a special Free Speech Seminar when Professor Jo Phoenix was in conversation with Professor Dennis Hayes about her employment tribunal triumph and its implications for gender-critical voices in higher education.
Monday 25 March (18.00) Edinburgh University AFAF and Living Freedom organised a University Salon at the University of Edinburgh, the topic is – Religious Freedom: Toleration of Discrimination – speaker Dolan Cummings.
Tuesday 12 March (18.00) – Dublin Universities AFAF branch and Living Freedom organised a University Salon at Trinity College Dublin, the topic is – From hate speech to misinformation: why social media is not the problem – speaker Timandra Harkness.
Monday 11 March (20.00-21.00) was the first in a series of Academic Freedom Book Club discussions Manchester Branch of AFAF. The reading is Difficult Women: A history of feminism in 11 fights, by Helen Lewis. Online, free.
Friday 8 March (13.00) – on International Women’s Day, the University of Derby Branch of AFAF hosted Almut Gadow to talk about her employment tribunal case against the Open University. Free, but registration is required for external guests on Eventbrite.
Saturday 2 March – Canterbury and Kent AFAF branch held an informal get together and planning meeting.
February 2024
Thursday 29 – February AFAF branches in the East Midlands supported an East Midlands Salon event, Self-Censorship: what daren’t I say?
Tuesday 27 February – Leeds Universities AFAF held its second meeting.
January 2024
Thursday 25 January at 17.00 Leeds Universities AFAF held its first meeting.
Tuesday 23 January at 16.00 there was a launch meeting for Dublin Universities AFAF followed by a public meeting in the evening, organised with with Free Speech Ireland, on Speech Regulations in 2024.
Thursday 18 January 2024 Sheffield Universities AFAF held its first public meeting. Speaker- Professor Dennis Hayes, on ‘The Challenges to Free Speech and Academic Freedom in 2024‘.
At the 3rd Buxton Battle of Ideas Festival on Saturday 25 November, There were debates on cancel culture, education or indoctrination, hate speech and more. As well as an AFAF stall we launched a new AFAF Branch – Welcome Sheffield Universities AFAF!
*AFAF Annual Conference*
We held our first UK conference on Saturday 11 November 2023 from 13.00-17.00 at City, University of London, hosted by the City AFAF Branch. Keynote speakers: James Murray, employment, and higher education lawyer at Taylor Vinters, and one of the architects of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, and Baroness Claire Fox, Director of the Academy of Ideas. This was a free, invitation only, event for members of the AFAF Network and Branches who have signed the AFAF Statement of Academic Freedom. We have over 50 attendees. We will return to City, University of London for our Annual Conference in 2024.
Sean Parker wrote a personal account of the day on his Substack.
October 2023
AFAF at the Battle of Ideas
There was a packed panel discussion about AFAF and the work of our branches at the Battle of Ideas Festival, in London, on Saturday 28 October (13.45-14.30). There was an AFAF stall at the event throughout the weekend.
The Festival had a strand on Free Speech that included a discussion of Free Speech on Campus: Should Hecklers be Banned?
Derby AFAF – on Wednesday 18 October at 13.00 there was be a public talk at the University of Derby. The speaker is Professor Dennis Hayes who will talk about ‘Free Speech on Campus: the leading role of AFAF’. Free, but external guests had to register with the branch.
Staff at Canterbury Christ Church University – some of whom are Canterbury and Kent AFAF supporters -organised a public talk by Professor Alice Sullivan on Wednesday 18 October at 18.00 at Canterbury Christ Church University.
Buckingham AFAF are holding the second in their Free Speech Seminar Series on Wednesday 11 October (18.00-19.30) at the University of Buckingham. The speaker is Professor Anthony O’Hear who will discuss How ‘my truth’ militates against free speech. Free, but please register in advance.
Manchester AFAF and Birmingham AFAF are holding informal get togethers, details from AFAF.
Liverpool AFAF: Wednesday 14 June at 16.30 – Founding Meeting
Nottingham Universities AFAF: Monday 12 June at 14.00 – Founding Meeting
Buckingham AFAF event: Wednesday 7 June at 18.00 The first in a series of Buckingham Free Speech Seminars Free Speech in a Time of Woke Speaker: Joanna Williams.
May 2023
Edinburgh AFAF event: Saturday 20 May at 14.00 Academic Freedom and the Law the speaker was: Akua Reindorf KC.
Derby AFAF branch meeting: Wednesday 10 May at 13.30 Academic Freedom: a feminist sociological perspective the speaker was: Professor Alice Sullivan.
April 2023
Edinburgh AFAF: A screening of the film Adult Human Female on Wednesday 26 April was stopped by an aggressive mob once again. A future showing is being organised by the branch.
City University AFAF: Wednesday 19 April at 13.00 – Founding Meeting
University of Manchester AFAF: Wednesday 26 April at 13.30 – Founding Meeting
March 2023
On Thursday 19 March, Advisory Board Member, Dr Julia Gasper gave a talk at the East Midlands Salon entitled: Censorship in the Eighteenth Century and Now.
January 2023
University of Buckingham AFAF branch: was formed on 23 January.
Friday 13 January 2023 – AFAF Director, Professor Dennis Hayes, and Advisory Board Member, Vanessa Pupavac, joined in a panel debate ‘Is academic freedom under that?’ at the University of Hull.
December 2022
Wednesday 14 December – the Edinburgh Branch of AFAF attempted to show the film Adult Human Female followed by a discussion. See The Banned List for further details.
November 2022
Tuesday the 29 November – AFAF Director, Professor Dennis Hayes, was interviewed by Lee Hall as part of the British Thought Leaders NTD TV Programme. Watch the interview on YouTube.
Saturday 19 November – a conference on Education not Indoctrination (10.30-17.00) was organised by Advisory Board members Penny Lewis and Stuart Waiton (along with others).
Monday 14 November – the Derby Branch of AFAF discussed ‘What is academic freedom?’ The seminar was introduced by advisory board member, Dr Vanessa Pupavac.
At the Buxton Battle of Ideas Festival on Saturday 5 November, in the magnificent Devonshire Dome, there are two free speech debates: Free Speech in Crisis: Can we take a joke? and Call to Courage: is anything worth fighting for?
Wednesday 2 November at 18.00, – Dennis Hayes spoke about The Importance of Academic Freedom at Canterbury Christ Church University CCCU). This talk, organised by Advisory Board member, Jim Butcher, was the subject to a censorious letter to the VC of CCCU. Read the text of the talk here.
October 2022
On Sunday, 16 October, at the Battle of Ideas Festival, Dennis Hayes discussed Winning Young Hearts and Minds: the battle for academic freedom (17.25 – 18 30)
On Saturday, 15 October, at the Battle of Ideas Festival in London, Advisory Board member, Professor James Tooley, discussed Lawfare: the use and abuse of the law to fight for freedom (Saturday 14.45 – 16.15)
Several Advisory Board members also spoke at the Battle of Ideas Festival. View the full programme here.
September 2022
AFAF Advisory Board member and comic author Jem Vanston gave a talk at the East Midlands Salon entitled: The University: no laughing matter.
October 2021
AFAF sponsored a panel debate at the Buxton Battle of Ideas festival held in the magnificent Devonshire Dome, in Buxton, Derbyshire, on Saturday 30 October. At 14.55, Dennis Hayes (AFAF), Andy Shaw (Comedy Unleashed), and Sophie Watson (Free Speech Champions) and Adam Whittaker (Beauty in the Universe) discussed ‘Should we cancel Cancel culture?‘. Ella Whelan was the Chair.
AFAF sponsored a discussion on Selling Out: the McDonaldisation of universities at the Battle of Ideas festival in London on Sunday 10 October. Chair: Professor Dennis Hayes
Professor Dennis Hayes and Professor Eric Kaufmann debated the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill live on Andrew Doyle’s Free Speech Nation programme on GN News on 10 October. It was filmed at the Battle of Ideas Festival in Church House, Westminster, London.
September 2021
Professor Dennis Hayes was a speaker at a panel discussion organised by Dont Divide Us on Tuesday 21 September to discuss the implications for free speech of the ‘Race Equality Charter’ produced by Advance HE for UK universities.
Professor Dennis Hayes talked about The Dangerous Rise of Therapeutic Education in the ‘Uncancelled’ segment of the Mark Dolan Show on GB News on Saturday 11 September.
August 2021
Professor Dennis Hayes talked about free speech and the therapeutic turn in education on GB News on Thursday 5 August at 17.45.
July 2021
AFAF sponsored a discussion on whether the government’s Free Speech Bill will effectively challenge campus censorship at the Battle of Ideas festival Open for Debate day on Saturday 31 July at Church House, Westminster, London.
March 2021
Professor Dennis Hayes chaired a discussion with Oxbridge academics, Arif Ahmed, David Butterfield and Paul Yowell on ‘Defending academic freedom: culture and governance’ at the online forum Academic Freedom Under Threat organised by Taylor Vinters and The University of Buckingham on Friday 19 March.
February 2021
Professor Dennis Hayes and Professor Eric Kaufmann debated ‘UK Government’s Free Speech Champion: Hero or Oxymoron?‘ at the first Free Speech Champions ‘Drop In’ workshop on Thursday 11 March.
January 2021
Professor Dennis Hayes was the UK respondent to the new Freedom to Learn policy paper from the National Association of Scholars (US) at an international online event held on Wednesday 13 January.
December 2020
Professor Dennis Hayes gave a talk entitled ‘Je suis Samuel‘ asking people to remember Samuel Paty at the Freedom Babbleon orgnaised by WorldWrite on Saturday 19 December
July 2020
Professor Dennis Hayes introduced a discussion about Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 at the AoI Book Club (online) on 30 July: Who are today’s firemen and what are they burning?
December 2019
Seminar: Is ‘toxic masculinity’ dangerous in the academy? (the third in a series of three Battle of Ideas Satellite events on ‘The Silencing of Speech’, sponsored by AFAF)
On Thursday 14 December, Elizabeth Hobson, communications director of the political party Justice For Men and Boys (J4MB), discussed what she sees as a new diminished sense of what it means to be a man today. Responding to her talk was Dr Nicholas Joseph, a parent of two girls and a lecturer at the Universities of Derby and Keele. The Chair was Dr Vanessa Pupavac (University of Nottingham). Details on the East Midlands Salon website.
November 2019
Seminar: By esrasing the past are we racilising the campus? (the second in a series of three Battle of Ideas Satellite events on ‘The Silencing of Speech’, sponsored by AFAF)
On Thursday 28 November at 7PM Dr Jim Butcher (Canterbury Christ Church University) and Dr Ruth Mieschbuehler (University of Derby) explored the background to decolonising the curriculum and the dangers thst this approach may present for the future of education. Folasade Lamikanra, a writer and education researcher, chaired the debate. Details on the East Midlands Salon website.
October 2019
Seminar: The dangerous rise of academic mobbing (the first in a series of three Battle of Ideas Satellite events on ‘The Silencing of Speech’, sponsored by AFAF)
On Thursday 17 October at 7 PM in Derby, Professor Nigel Biggar (Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology, University of Oxford) gave a talk about his work and being subject to an international campaign to close down his five-year ‘Ethics and Empire’ project which sought to have a balanced assessment of colonialism. Details on the East Midlands Salon website.
September 2019
On Thursday 12 September, Professor Dennis Hayes gave a keynote talk at the Higher Education Institutional Research Conference 2019, held at the University of Wolverhampton, on ‘How the university lost its way: sixteen threats to academic freedom‘.
June 2019
On 26 June 2019 Professor Dennis Hayes presented a short provocation at the Midlands HE Policy Network Meeting at the University of Wolverhampton, based on the decline of academic freedom, entitled: ‘Is the The University is dead?‘
On 20 June, at the East Midlands Salon in Derby, Professor Dennis Hayes will talk about the ‘therapeutic university’ and the ‘snowflake generation’ and their implications for academic freedom.
November 2017
On the 15 November 2017 Professor Dennis Hayes, Dr. Joanna Williams (Kent) and Tom Slater (Spiked) successfully defended the Free Speech University Rankings (FSUR) methodology and findings after being called to present evidence to the parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights.
October 2017
Professor Dennis Hayes will be discussing Groupthink Universities with Noah Carl (University of Oxford), Nick Hillman (Director, HEPI), Paul A. Taylor (University of Leeds) and Cathy Young (US journalist and commentator) at the Battle of Ideas festival at the Barbican on Saturday 28 October (Cinema 3 10 AM).
Professor Dennis Hayes will argue for the proposition ‘This house regrets no platforming policies in universities’ at the Warwick Debating Union on Thursday 26 October at 7 PM.
September 2017
Professor Dennis Hayes will be speaking on ‘What is the purpose of a university?’ at Abertay University on Wednesday 20 September.
June 2017
Professor Dennis Hayes spoke at the Festival of Higher Education 2017 at the University of Buckingham on Thursday 29 June at 2.50 in the Marquee on Free Speech on Campus; Rights and Responsibilities. Respondent: Professor Anthony Glees, Director, Centre for Security & Intelligence Studies, University of Buckingham. Chair: Professor Sue Edwards, University of Buckingham.
Dennis’s speech was widely reported in the national press, including the Telegraph, Independent and many local papers. He appeared on ‘High Noon‘ Newstalk Radio, Dublin on Wednesday 5 July (12.00) discussing ‘Safe Spaces’ in universities with George Hook.
