The Dean of the School of Law at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Professor Kofi Abotsi, has urged universities to build strong financial independence to free themselves from government subvention and donor influence.

According to him, reliance on state funding and institutional sponsorship compromises academic freedom, as universities may be pressured to align research with the interests of their financiers.

"Government has so many ways of influencing the universities. Once academic freedom fails, learning ends, propaganda takes over, and the teaching of facts ceases," he warned.

Speaking at the Africa Coalition for Academic Freedom (ACAF) conference in Accra, supported by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Prof Abotsi stressed that institutions of higher learning should be “marketplaces of ideas” and must lead society in critical thinking.

However, he observed that many universities have become “followers and reflectors of ideas” rather than centres of innovation.

To address the challenge, he called for a united scholarly front and a redefined relationship with the government to protect intellectual independence.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Clement Abass Apaak, acknowledged that safeguarding academic freedom is a collective responsibility and assured that the government would do its part. 

He also called for broader consultations to establish a clear and universally accepted definition of academic freedom in Africa.