Amendment secures academic freedom

Vice-chancellors and lecturers struck a blow for academic freedom by securing a key amendment to an export bill on Tuesday.

The export control bill, designed to regulate the arms trade, sets out exports that need a licence to include "intangibles" such as software and emails. Academics feared this would compromise their freedom to publish research and collaborate with international colleagues.

After lobbying from Universities UK and the Association of University Teachers, science minister Lord Sainsbury tabled an amendment that provides a clear guarantee of academic freedom.