The Concept of Academic Freedom and the Manifestations of its Practice from the Point of View of the Faculty Members in Benghazi University

Abstract

The study was aimed to understand the concepts that of the most common academic freedom that the teaching staff members have at the University of Benghazi have. The study group was formed by all teaching staff members that work in different colleges on the campus of the university of Benghazi, of a total of 1427 of the teaching staff members during the academic years 2013-2014 a random number of them were selected for this study (215), only (198) of them responded to this study, which amounts to (0.14) of the total count of teaching staff members at the University of Benghazi.

The collect the study data a measurement tool was used to measure academic freedom with the assistance of our literature theory and former studies that consisted of 49 paragraphs that underwent a test of truth transparency and was proven using Kronbach's alpha constant that read (0.76) that relates to a statistical value that of significance level of α=0.05

To analyze the study data, some statistical methods were applied, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t.test & Pearson's correlation coefficient.

The study results revealed that all the academic freedom understandings featured in the measuring tool applied was a success to meet the approval and acceptance of the teaching staff members as well showed an increase of participation level of their academic rights in the field of scientific research and the freedom of speech and freedom of teaching and their participation in decision-making.

The test also revealed an increase of the level of participation between the teaching staff members toward their obligation duties.

A statistical association relation was found between the joy of the teaching staff members and the understanding of their academic rights and with their commitment with their profession duty rolls.