Universities across the UK have been criticised for failing to protect gender-critical academics from harassment and restrictive pressures on their research, according to a report by Professor Alice Sullivan of University College London.
The report highlights significant concerns about academic freedom, revealing that some researchers have faced sustained intimidation for acknowledging the biological and social relevance of sex.
It recommends that students and staff who engage in harassment that restricts freedom of expression should face consequences in line with the seriousness of their actions.
Professor Sullivan’s findings point to an erosion of academic autonomy, driven by excessive layers of management and insecure career paths, which leave researchers more exposed to internal and external pressures. Bureaucratic procedures are also said to enable activist influence within academic institutions.
The report urges universities to review their policies and procedures to prevent unintended outcomes that suppress open inquiry.
It warns that the inability to investigate or debate core topics openly damages institutional integrity, negatively impacts individuals, and undermines the quality of research. It also suggests that the suppression of research can harm the very communities it is often intended to support.
The forthcoming Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, due to come into force in England this August, is expected to bolster the rights of academics. The report calls for similar protections in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to ensure consistency across the UK.
The UK Government has confirmed its commitment to defending academic freedom and free speech, including introducing new responsibilities for universities and stronger regulatory action from the Office for Students.
Professor Sullivan’s latest report builds on previous work, including a government-commissioned review published in March 2025 examining barriers to sex and gender research. This latest study drew on 140 submissions, with most respondents aligning with gender-critical beliefs that biological sex is fixed and should not be conflated with gender identity.
The report also raises concerns about declining democratic governance in universities, stating that the majority of academics have little influence over how their institutions are run. The findings reinforce growing calls for universities to reaffirm their role as spaces for open and rigorous academic inquiry, without fear of ideological reprisal.
