Teesside University is committed to fostering an environment where lawful free expression, academic debate and intellectual challenge can flourish, while ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory obligations. The University allows staff, students and visiting speakers to share ideas, challenge views and take part in open debate without fear, while following the law.
The University is committed to securing and promoting freedom of speech within the law and academic freedom for staff, students and visiting speakers.
We seek to provide an environment that supports:
Freedom of speech is protected independently of the viewpoint being expressed, provided it is lawful. The University recognises that members of its community may hold differing views, including views that others may find controversial, offensive or unpopular.
The University will not normally adopt an institutional position on sensitive or politically contentious matters, nor affiliate with organisations that require adherence to a particular viewpoint. This does not prevent the University from taking positions where required by law, regulation, safeguarding responsibilities, or where necessary to protect the University's legitimate interests and functions.
The University's approach is informed by key legislation and regulatory requirements, including:
These require the University take all reasonably practicable steps to secure and protect lawful freedom of speech within the law, including ensuring that lawful events, debates and visiting speakers are not prevented from taking place.
Freedom of speech and academic freedom are fundamental to the University's role as a place of teaching, research and open debate. The University is required to take reasonably practicable steps to secure and promote freedom of speech within the law for staff, students and visiting speakers.
Freedom of speech is not an absolute right and must be exercised within the law. In discharging its duties, the University must also have regard to a range of other legal obligations, including:
The University will consider these duties alongside its freedom of speech obligations on a case-by-case basis. The fact that speech may be controversial, offensive, unpopular or give rise to disagreement will not, by itself, justify restriction. The University's role is to enable and protect lawful expression wherever reasonably practicable, whilst identifying and responding appropriately where speech or conduct becomes unlawful or where significant risks cannot be adequately mitigated.
The code of practice applies to:
The Code applies to teaching, research, visiting speaker events, demonstrations, protests and public meetings, whether taking place on University premises or as part of University-organised activities.
Where an activity is organised by the Students' Union, the Students' Union's Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech will normally apply. Where such activities also take place on University premises or involve University resources, the University and Students' Union will work together to ensure compliance with their respective statutory duties and Codes of Practice.
In teaching, learning and research activities, the University:
Academic staff and event organisers are responsible for facilitating discussion, managing activities appropriately and ensuring compliance with the University's Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech.
The University is committed to securing freedom of speech within the law and supports the right of staff, students and visiting speakers to express lawful views and opinions.
Key principles include:
The University will consider each event on its individual merits and, where risks are identified, will normally seek to implement reasonably practicable mitigations before considering cancellation, refusal or other restrictions.
The University does not operate a blanket no-platform policy based on lawful viewpoints or beliefs.
Any decision to refuse, restrict or cancel an event will be based on an assessment of the specific circumstances and risks involved. Events will not be restricted solely because views are controversial, unpopular, offensive or likely to attract disagreement. Restrictions will only be applied where required to address unlawful activity, significant safety or security concerns, or other legal obligations that cannot be adequately mitigated.
Concerns relating to freedom of speech or academic freedom may include the cancellation or restriction of events, conditions imposed on activities, disciplinary action, or other decisions that are believed to have adversely affected lawful freedom of speech or academic freedom.
Breaches of the code may result in disciplinary or other action under the University's applicable policies and procedures.
Complaints may be raised through:
Where a complainant remains dissatisfied following completion of the University's internal procedures, they may have access to an external complaints scheme depending on their status and the nature of the complaint, including the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) or, for eligible individuals, the Office for Students Free Speech Complaints Scheme.
This governance framework helps ensure that decisions affecting freedom of speech are made consistently, transparently and in accordance with the University's legal and regulatory obligations.
Staff, students, visiting speakers and other members of the University community who require advice or guidance on freedom of speech or academic freedom matters should contact their School or Professional Service leadership team in the first instance, or seek advice directly from Legal and Governance Services.
Legal and Governance Services can provide guidance on the application of the University's Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech and how freedom of speech duties interact with other legal and regulatory obligations.