JCERJournal of Contemporary Educational Research2208-84662208-8474Bio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty. Ltd.10.26689/jcer.v9i5.10448ArticleThe Protection of Academic Freedom by Leadership in the Process of Higher Education Modernizationhttps://artdesignp.com/journal/JCER/9/5/10.26689/jcer.v9i5.10448ZhaoWanru2025952025-06-04The essence of academic freedom lies in scholars’ autonomy in the pursuit of knowledge, free from external coercion and internal constraints, encompassing various aspects such as freedom of research, teaching, and learning. Leadership plays a crucial role in safeguarding academic freedom. Drawing on Macfarlane’s conceptualization of intellectual leadership, this article examines faculty-based agency protection, as well as institutional, cultural, and resource-based protections at the university level.

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