17 April 2009. Personalities from academia, politics and society will discuss the issue of “How much academic freedom does a university require? How much academic freedom can a university bear?”

Controversies on academic freedom
The latest occurrences at the University of St.Gallen (HSG) have shown that academic freedom and the freedom to express one’s opinion give rise to controversies in a university environment. How much academic freedom does a university require? How much academic freedom can it bear?

This issue is also troubling the general public, which is reflected by the countless comments and letters to the editor in all Swiss daily newspapers about Dr. Ulrich Thielemann’s statements before a committee of Germany’s Bundestag, the Lower House of Parliament.

What effects has academic freedom on university teaching?
The Student Union of the University of St.Gallen (SHSG), too, is making intensive efforts to resolve this and other questions concerning this issue, particularly the question as to what effects the granting and restriction of academic freedom and the freedom to express one’s opinion have on university teaching and our education.

Invited to participate
St.Gallen’s Student Union and the Dialog Klub student association have therefore decided to organize a panel discussion on the issue of “How much academic freedom does a university require? How much academic freedom can a university bear?”. On Tuesday, 21 April 2009, from 6.15 to 8 p.m., various representatives of society, politics and the university environment will discuss this question – and the audience will be invited to participate.

Chaired by Christoph Wehrli
The panel discussion will be chaired by Christoph Wehrli, Home News Editor of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) daily paper.

The panel will be made up of Prof. Dr. Bernhard Ehrenzeller, Vice-President (Research), University of St.Gallen; Prof. Dr. Philippe Mastronardi, Professor of Public Law, University of St.Gallen; Prof. Dr. Peter Ulrich, Director of the Institute for Business Ethics (IWE-HSG), University of St.Gallen; Dr. Eugen David, Councillor of State (member of the Upper House of Parliament) for the Canton of St.Gallen; lic. iur. Robert Nef, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Liberal Institute; and Sebastian Bekemeier, President Elect of the Student Union for 2009/10, University of St.Gallen.

The panel discussion is open to the general public and will take place in the Audimax (09-010) of the University of St.Gallen (HSG).