Be ready to be shocked and offended, students told

[musicalfrog]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74z8l8vkx3o

Finally, common sense walks back in.

Speaking directly to students, the director for free speech said: "You should expect to face views you might find shocking or offensive, and you should be aware that's part of the process of education."

Glad the importance of academic freedom on university campuses is being given legal support like this. I hope the guidance and how the law is applied develops a truly respectful and robust culture of discussion and debate and doesn’t just become a tick box exercise.

I was shocked to read:
The guidelines also make it clear that any agreements with foreign states that enable censorship on campus must be changed or scrapped.
has that actually happened in the UK?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3gm3k4rvz4o

I’m assuming it relates to this.

Yes some universities are taking money from China and have been accused of suppressing criticism of them

I don't think this will change much. Staff are mostly captured or silenced by the captured ones for fear of being ostracised.

The formal agreements with foreign states might go but it won't stop informal ones. When universities are under so much financial stress, they aren't going to turn down £50 million donations.

But the incoming students can now speak up without fear of being penalized by the uni or any of the 'pressure groups' on campus, like the young woman who lost her show on the radio because 1 student complained about the GC views that were being expressed.

I read this as earlier and what shocked me the most was how unbiased the article was from the BBC, I had to pinch myself to make sure I had actually gotten out of bed and was sat in the garden drinking coffee and reading the morning news!

Could be referring to this:

freespeechunion.org/ucl-bans-lecturer-from-china-course-to-protect-its-commercial-interests/