The eight year presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2013) sounded the death knell for academic freedom in Iran. Official policies aimed at “Islamicization” saw the universities drawn under tighter state control, purged of critical voices and eviscerated as centres of independent thought. Conditions worsened after widespread protests against President Ahmadinejad’s re-election in 2009. The authorities launched a brutal crackdown against dissent in which they made the universities a prime target. Iran’s new President must urgently address this damaging legacy if he is to restore academic freedom and enable Iranians to freely exchange knowledge and ideas. The introduction, recommendations and conclusion are available in Persian at the link below.
