BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom
The BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom was set up to monitor and defend academic freedom in the research, study and teaching of Middle East Studies in the UK and anywhere in the world, including in academic institutions in the Middle East and North Africa.
To learn more about how the committee works, please see the Terms of Reference.
The current Chair of the BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom is Lewis Turner (Senior Lecturer in International Politics, Newcastle University).
Latest Statement/Letter
Statement on Restrictions on Women’s Access to Higher Education in Syria
The BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom (CAF) is deeply concerned about the expansion of gender-based restrictions on access to programmes at Syria’s newly established defence and security universities. These restrictions undermine equal access to higher education and students’ freedom to pursue their academic interests and professional aspirations. We call for the removal of discriminatory admissions rules and for the protection of women’s equal rights to education, intellectual development, and participation in academic life.
30 October 2026
Previous Statements
Please find here the list of statements published by the Committee on Academic Freedom.
Previous Letters
Please find here the list of public letters published by the Committee on Academic Freedom.
Database of Expertise
The Database of Expertise in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies provides a publicly available list of MENA experts with their research and areas of expertise.
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