Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to maintain the link between (1) teachers' professional preparation, (2) the autonomy of universities as independent institutions, and (3) the academic freedom of universities' academic staff.

The department has committed to strengthening academic freedom and ensuring our universities are places where free speech can thrive.

Academic freedom is a fundamental principle in the English higher education sector, as recognised in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 and other legislation, allowing academic staff to question and test received wisdom and put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs or privileges. Universities are independent and autonomous institutions, but they are also required by law to uphold freedom of speech and academic freedom.

In November 2019, we published the new initial teacher training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF). The CCF sets a mandatory training entitlement that all ITT must deliver, embedded in the best available and independently verified evidence about effective teaching. This includes content on curriculum planning and sequencing, behaviour management and setting high expectations for all pupils. From September 2020, all ITT courses must encompass the full entitlement described in the CCF into their ITT curricula for all subjects and phases.