Academic freedom refers to the freedom of teachers, researchers, and students in higher education institutions to pursue knowledge without fear of censorship or retaliation. This means that academic institutions should not restrict faculty or students from pursuing and presenting scholarly research, ideas, or opinions that may be considered controversial or unpopular, as long as they meet the standards of ethical and professional conduct. This freedom protects academic communities from outside pressures and allows them to engage in rigorous, open, and critical inquiry. Academic freedom is a core principle of higher education and is essential to ensuring the progress of knowledge and society as a whole.

It means what the state thinks it means.

A real researcher has completed their BSc and their MSc successfully, which means that they know how to conduct the basic research. When they start a PhD they can have the freedom of trying all the methodology they have learnt so far, in order to bring new data in their field or support other research. This all describes the academic freedom.

In my life as proffesional and as university teacher never has been, today is not and for sure tomorrow will not be easy to have the freedom to speech. Is a historical cancer in our classroms, in our work place and even in our homes. No body can express ideas that no match with the goverment or ideas that are opposite to the status quo of the ownwers of the big companies in Mexico

For this reason is very important that our students can go to study to another countries in order to open their minds and learn how to give a different direction to our country. But my main question still be the same, if they go to another country when they come back here, will they have the freedom to say every thing they learn outside?

Glenn Rikowski is correct about the (growing) role of the State. In USA, generally known for a wide bandwidth of academic freedom, the New College of the University of Florida suddenly changed direction, with severe curtailment of academic freedom. Why? Because the Florida state governor and Presidential Candidate did not like the left-leaning culture of that campus.

The problem of academic freedom was very actively discussed at the end of the last century in the pages of scientific publications of economically developed countries. Today it is violated by scientists of other countries. From the comments, we can draw a conclusion: the higher the level of freedom in a country (certain region), the higher the level of academic freedom. However, this is not the only factor. There is such a significant factor as a stereotype of thinking. This is especially true of countries with post-totalitarian regimes. They still have the opinion that it is not necessary to object to managers from the top management. Political culture needs to be developed, the ability to conduct discussions, to defend one's opinion with arguments. Adopted laws play an important role. If a scientist is elected to the position of a professor at the department, he will think once more whether he should object to the head of the department. You can further develop your opinion. However, the issue of academic freedom cannot be treated unambiguously.