SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Starting July 1, 2026, SAR no longer publishes reports for the incidents that it records. SAR continues to monitor and record incidents that will be used in the annual Free to Think report. This page provides a record of incidents reported up to that date. Learn more about the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project.

Date of Incident: November 09, 2025

Attack Types: Other

Institution(s):Collège de France

Region & Country:Europe | France

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On November 9, 2025, the Collège de France canceled the symposium “Palestine and Europe: Weight of the Past and Contemporary Dynamics,” citing “controversy” surrounding the event.

Originally scheduled for November 13 and 14, 2025, the symposium intended to examine relations between Palestine and Europe through the insights of researchers, diplomats, and legal experts. High-profile speakers, including former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, were set to attend.

In the weeks leading up to the event, the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) launched a public online campaign against the symposium, labeling it “militant,” “pro-Hamas,” and “promoting anti-Semitism.” Four days before the start date, the Collège de France canceled the program “in response to the controversy” generated by LICRA and other right-wing groups. Organizers denounced the cancellation, arguing that balanced perspectives had been built into the program and that all speakers were discussing matters within their professional and academic expertise.

The event was subsequently relocated to the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, an independent research center and a co-sponsor of the colloquium.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the cancellation of a previously approved academic conference in an apparent attempt to avoid controversy. Higher education leaders should respect academic freedom and make space for a diversity of views on campus by refraining from restrictions on academic activity. Content-based restrictions on otherwise legitimate university events undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://actualitte.com/article/127397/scolarite/colloque-sur-la-palestine-annule-au-college-de-france-une-atteinte-a-la-liberte-academique
https://blogs.mediapart.fr/azzam-amin/blog/121125/annulation-d-un-colloque-au-college-de-france-la-science-muselee-par-la-politique
https://www.france24.com/fr/info-en-continu/20251112-le-colloque-sur-la-palestine-annulé-par-le-collège-de-france-finalement-organisé-dans-un-autre-lieu