The Egyptian Supreme Council of Universities’ announcement of a guide to academic integrity and research ethics and restricting the ability for professors to create accounts without approval has sparked outrage and debate regarding the ethics of using social media.
They considered it a violation of freedom of expression, making academic opinions contingent on administrative approval, and also deeming some clauses vague.
The Council issued the guide, which includes Article 29 concerning social media platforms.
It prohibits faculty members and teaching assistants from creating social media accounts through which they can post visual, audio, or written content related to any of the courses taught at the university—even if the content is offered free of charge—without prior approval from the university.
The new guidelines also forbid posting anything on any social media account that contradicts the university’s policies, rules, etiquette, and ethics.
An educational expert and head of the Egyptian Philosophical Society, Mostafa al-Nashar, said that university professors are the leading authorities in their respective fields and must have complete freedom to express their opinions.
He added that they should even be encouraged to do so, as their words are informed by knowledge and awareness within their area of expertise.
Rising restrictions on professors
A faculty member at the Capital University (formerly Helwan University), Wael Kamel, warned that this represents an escalation in recent restrictions targeting university faculty members.
He said that these restrictions make academic opinions contingent upon administrative approval and infringe upon fundamental rights of university professors.
Kamel explained that the decision contains several vague clauses that fail to clarify what constitutes prohibited content, and do not differentiate between legitimate academic opinion, criticism, public information, or confidential information.
This raises serious concerns about respect for the constitution and the protection of academic freedom, he added.
Preventing a university professor from publishing scientific or educational content or discussing any university-related issue directly restricts the freedom of scientific research, he noted.
Granting the administration the right to prior censorship of publications undermines university independence and transforms the university into a censorship body instead of a free space for science and knowledge, he said.
The Assistant Professor of Values and Ethics at Cairo University, Mohamed Kamal al-Gizawy, and an expert on university laws and regulations, noted that Clause 29 of the rules contradicts Articles 65 and 66 of the Constitution, which pertain to freedom of opinion and expression, and freedom of scientific research.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
