Joint statement on academic freedom

Joint statement on academic freedom

The Society of Virology (GfV) e.V. and the undersigned specialist societies emphasize the central importance of scientific freedom as the foundation for innovation, progress and overcoming global health crises. We see this freedom increasingly under threat and call for stronger measures to protect it.

1. academic freedom as a cornerstone of democracy

Freedom of research and teaching is an indispensable fundamental right that is protected by the respective constitutions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and is essential for evidence-based decisions in politics, business and society. Academic freedom enables independent research, which is necessary to develop new technologies and sound solutions to global challenges such as pandemics or climate change. However, the Academic Freedom Index (AFI) 2025 (Kinzelbach et al. 2025) shows that academic freedom has declined significantly in many countries, including Germany and Austria, since 2014. This underlines the need to actively defend this freedom.

2. threats from anti-pluralism and political influence

According to the Academic Freedom Index (AFI) 2025, anti-pluralist parties represent a key threat to academic freedom worldwide (Kinzelbach et al. 2025). In Germany, too, there are tendencies to politicize and delegitimize scientific discourse - a development that we view with concern. Political influence and selective interpretations of research results jeopardize the independence of science. For example, since the end of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been an increasing distortion of scientific facts and chronological references in the public debate and by politicians. The neglect of scientific argumentation standards and the influence of politically motivated opinions have impaired the public's trust in scientific decision-making (GfV 2025a; ÖAW 2023).

3. responsibility in security-related research

Virology is caught between the poles of freedom of research and ethical responsibility, particularly in safety-relevant research and virological gain-of-function (GoF) research. The GfV is convinced that virological GoF research must be clearly regulated and strictly monitored, which is why it deals intensively and transparently with the risks of this research. The GfV has published a position paper that discusses both the social benefits and the risks of GoF research and describes the comprehensive regulatory measures in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GfV 2025b).

4. international cooperation and collaboration

The undersigned professional societies emphasize the crucial importance of international cooperation and efficient networking of researchers worldwide for the development of new diagnostics, therapies and vaccines to combat cross-border risks of infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) plays a key role as the central authority for international health coordination, creating global standards and framework conditions for evidence-based medical research by pooling knowledge and resources, whereby it relies on the cooperation of all member states. Restrictions on international exchange - due to political tensions, for example - significantly hinder this progress.

5. appeal

The undersigned specialist societies call for the active defense of academic freedom, the creation of stable framework conditions and ensuring that research can take place independently of ideological or purely economic interests. This requires solid financial structures for independent research and teaching as well as Funding international collaborations. In addition, researchers who publicly comment on research results or scientific theories must be protected from personal attacks in order to safeguard the freedom of the scientific system in the long term. Results from state-funded research must be made publicly accessible. They must not be censored or withheld by third parties.

Supporting professional associations (in alphabetical order)

German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM)
President: Prof. Dr. Martin Aepfelbacher, Hamburg
Contact: office@dghm.de

German Society for Infectiology (DGI)
Chairwoman: Prof. Dr. Maria Vehreschild, Frankfurt am Main
Contact: trommel@dgi-net.de

German Society for Tropical Medicine, Travel Medicine and Global Health (DTG)
Chairman: Dr. Dr. Carsten Köhler, Tübingen
Contact: dtg@bnitm.de

German Association for the Control of Viral Diseases (DVV)
President: Prof. Dr. Helmut Fickenscher, Kiel
Contact: fickenscher@infmed.uni-kiel.de

Association of German Women Infection Researchers - Infect-Net
Chairwoman: Prof. Dr. Gabriele Pradel, Aachen
Contact: info@infectnet.org

Society of Virology e.V. (GfV)
President: Prof. Dr. Ulf Dittmer, Essen
Contact: geschaeftsstelle@g-f-v.org

PDF version of the statement

References

Katrin Kinzelbach, Staffan I. Lindberg, Lars Lott, Angelo Vito Panaro. 2025 Academic Freedom Index 2025 Update. FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg and V-Dem Institute. doi:10.25593/open-fau-1637, https://academic-freedom-index.net/research/Academic_Freedom_Index_Update_2025.pdf; Retrieved on 02.04.2025

Society of Virology. 2025. Five years of COVID-19: Comments of the Society of Virology on the review of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, 27.03.2025; Editorially revised version of 20.05.2025 (GfV 2025a): https://g-f-v.org/fuenf-jahre-covid-19-anmerkungen-der-gesellschaft-fuer-virologie-zur-aufarbeitung-der-covid-19-pandemie-in-deutschland-redaktionell-ueberarbeitete-fassung/; Retrieved on 20.05.2025

Austrian Academy of Sciences, ed. Alexander Bogner. 2023. after Corona. Reflections for future crises, results from the Corona review process. https://doi.org/10.1553/978OEAW95696; Retrieved on 28.04.2025

Society of Virology. 2025. safety-relevant research in virology, position paper of the Society of Virology e.V., 13.03.2025 (GfV 2025b): https://g-f-v.org/sicherheitsrelevante-forschung-in-der-virologie/; Retrieved on 02.04.2025