Vice-Chancellor John Hood stood up to recent pressure from government over policing campus extremists yesterday.Recent government policy suggested heavier 'policing' at campuses, as a way of tackling political extremism. In his annual speech, marking the start to the new academic year, he stated that he was aware of the need to stay vigilant, particularly after concerns were raised that campuses were potential breeding and recruitment grounds for terrorists.He said that it was a 'major priority' to increase awareness of Islam in the West, but that the university should not be made into a 'quasi-secret service'. Hood warned that the university must be aware of any threats to free speech and their academic freedom and that 'public policy, designed to address the undeniably real security worries about terrorism, does not undermine that very scholarly endeavour which can help to build and propagate knowledge and understanding in society.'
