Ranked: Countries With the Biggest Declines in Academic Freedom

Key Takeaways

• Nicaragua, Myanmar, and Afghanistan recorded the world’s steepest declines in academic freedom between 2015 and 2025.
• Academic freedom declined in 67% of countries over the past decade, according to the V-Dem Academic Freedom Index.
• The U.S. dropped from 27th to 116th globally, making it one of the most notable declines among advanced economies.

Academic freedom reflects the ability of universities and scholars to research, teach, publish, and exchange ideas without political interference.

Using data from the V-Dem Institute via Our World in Data, this graphic ranks countries by the percentage change in their Academic Freedom Index scores between 2015 and 2025.

Read the full article here.