This research project explored the evolving role of African universities as defenders of human rights and democratic values amid increasing threats to academic freedom and civic space. Universities can foster and inhibit freedom of expression; provide ‘safe spaces’ and be sites of violence; facilitate the inclusion and exclusion of marginalised groups; and more broadly reflect, enhance and ameliorate societal tensions. This complexity is exacerbated at a time when universities globally are experiencing pressures ranging from privatisation to diversification (public / private, formal / informal), enhanced government scrutiny and budget cuts, and demands from students for affordable education.
In this complex context, our research seeks to reunite universities with their third mission – after teaching and research – to address social, economic and cultural challenges in society, through the lens of a particular concept: protection. Protection is here understood as the practices, mechanisms or processes designed to prevent, reduce or redress the risk of physical harm to individuals and groups. This project was conducted in collaboration with the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the University of York, Makerere University, and University West, the project is part of the African Universities Human Rights Hub (AUH). Launched in 2023, AUH is a platform uniting academics, human rights defenders, and civil society to strengthen universities’ third mission: addressing societal challenges through advocacy, inclusion, and the defense of democratic ideals. This initiative aims to reinforce universities’ critical role in shaping resilient and equitable societies.
