Universities are "killing free speech" by banning anything that causes offence, a group of leading academics have warned.
Students are being denied the opportunity to debate opposing views due to political correctness and censorship, the group argued in a letter published in The Telegraph.
Academics led by Frank Furedi, a professor at the University of Canterbury, said universities see students as customers and do not dare to stand against them.
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The letter argued universities are curtailing freedom of speech “like never before” and also concluded that “students who are offended by opposing views are perhaps not yet ready to be at university”.
The group have called on vice-chancellors to promote freedom of speech and battle against censorship.
The statement comes after a campaign at an Oriel College at Oxford University to remove a statue of Cecil Rhodes, an alumnus and benefactor, because he is regarded as being the founding father of apartheid in South Africa.
UK news in pictures
UK news in pictures
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1/32 13 November 2016
Queen Elizabeth II lays a wreath during the annual Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in London, England
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2/32 13 November 2016
The Prince of Wales arrives at the Guards' Chapel in Wellington Barracks, London for a service and to lay a wreath at the Guards' Memorial for the Welsh Guards' Regimental Remembrance Sunday
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3/32 13 November 2016
British Prime Minister Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn Leader of the Labour Party and Angus Robertson, Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party with former British Prime Minister's David Cameron, Tony Blair and Sir John Major during the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in London, Britain
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4/32 13 November 2016
Prime Minister Theresa May, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron, and Westminster Leader of the Scottish National Party Angus Roberston take part in the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Westminster, central London
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5/32 13 November 2016
Veterans wait on Horse Guards Parade for the start of the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Westminster, central London
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6/32 13 November 2016
People across the UK gathered to pay tribute to service personnel who have died during conflicts, as part of the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremonies
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7/32 13 November 2016
Members of Scotland's armed forces and veterans gather to commemorate and pay respect to the sacrifice of service men and women who fought in the two World Wars and subsequent conflicts in Fort William, Scotland
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8/32 12 November 2016
The 689th Lord Mayor of the City of London Andrew Parmley waves from his carriage during The Lord Mayor's Show
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9/32 12 November 2016
The Lord Mayor procession passes by St Pauls Cathedral in London
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10/32 12 November 2016
Spectators watch as the Lord Mayor of the City of London's carriage arrives outside the Royal Courts of Justice during the Lord Mayor's Show in London, England
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11/32 12 November 2016
The Lord Mayor's Show, now in its 801st year, makes its way from the City of London to the Royal Courts of Justice today in a display of pageantry featuring a 6,500 strong procession
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12/32 12 November 2016
Participants of the Lord Mayor's Show parade past St Paul's Cathedral
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13/32 9 November 2016
Dr. Christopher Moran, Chairman Co-operation Ireland, Arlene Foster, First Minister of Northern Ireland, Queen Elizabeth II, Martin McGuinness, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and Frances Fitzgerald, Minister of Justice and Equality Gov of Ireland, attend a Co-Operation Ireland Reception at Crosby Hall in London, England. During the reception The Queen unveiled a portrait of herself by artist Colin Davidson
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14/32 9 November 2016
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May visits the Someshwara Swamy temple in Bengaluru, India
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15/32 9 November 2016
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May receives a souvenir from officials during her visit to the Someshwara Swamy temple in Bengaluru, India
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16/32 9 November 2016
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May stands among Indian school children as they watch a fly-past by Indian Airforce planes during a visit to a school on the outskirts of Bangalore
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17/32 9 November 2016
Heavy snow in Tow Law, in County Durham, after wintry weather swept across northern England
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18/32 8 November 2016
Seaham Lighthouse in Co Durham as a gap in the cloud lets the sun through
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19/32 8 November 2016
A photographer captures the sun as it rises over the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire
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20/32 8 November 2016
A low mist covers the fields as the sun rises over the Vale of Pewsey near to Marlborough in Wiltshire
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21/32 7 November 2016
Remembrance poppies added to parent and child parking bays outside a Sainsbury's store in Uxbridge
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22/32 7 November 2016
Street artist Pegasus adds remembrance poppies to parent and child parking bays outside a Sainsbury's store in Uxbridge. He was commissioned by the supermarket to adorn the symbols across 22 stores around the country to mark their 22-year partnership with the Royal British Legion. To date, Sainsbury's has raised over £30 million for the charity's Poppy Appeal, helping provide vital care to past and present members of the armed forces
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23/32 7 November 2016
A replica landscape of the planet Mars is unveiled in London's Trafalgar Square, including the Mars Rover prototype 'Bridget', to mark the launch of new National Geographic television series 'MARS'
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24/32 7 November 2016
A replica landscape of the planet Mars is unveiled in London's Trafalgar Square
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25/32 7 November 2016
Toby Campbell, eight, interacts with a replica landscape of the planet Mars is unveiled in London's Trafalgar Square, including the Mars Rover prototype 'Bridget', to mark the launch of new National Geographic television series 'MARS'
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26/32 7 November 2016
The scene outside Bedford Prison after a riot which reportedly saw up to 200 inmates go on the rampage. The disturbance was successfully resolved after riot officers spent more than six hours trying to bring the disorder under control
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27/32 6 November 2016
Participants drive their vintage cars past Westminster Bridge during the annual London to Brighton veteran car run in London
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28/32 6 November 2016
Participants drive their 1900 Cleveland electric, down the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace during the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run in London
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29/32 4 November 2016
Dancers pose as characters from The Nutcracker, for the annual Christmas event at Chatsworth House near Bakewell in Britain
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30/32 4 November 2016
Dancers Alice Rathbone and Daisy Edwards as characters from The Nutcracker
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31/32 4 November 2016
Dancer Daisy Kerry poses as the Snow Queen from The Nutcracker
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32/32 4 November 2016
Dancers Alice Rathbone and Daisy Kerry pose as characters from The Nutcracker, for the annual Christmas event at Chatsworth House near Bakewell in Britain
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The letter described the battle over the statue as a “deeply worrying development”; after Oriel College said the statue does not comply with the values of a modern university.
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