The V-Dem Institute, a research organization focused on democratic issues, has released its 2022 Global Academic Freedom Index, in which Hong Kong is ranked 152nd out of 179 countries and regions. The report analysis suggests that the National Security Law for Hong Kong, enacted by the Chinese Communist Party in 2020, has imposed unprecedented pressure on academic freedom in Hong Kong.
The report investigated academic freedom in 179 countries and regions globally and found that the top five ranked countries and regions are all in Europe. In descending order, they are the Czech Republic, Estonia, Belgium, Italy, and Germany. The highest-ranked Asian country is South Korea, ranking 45th, followed by Taiwan at 57th place, and Japan, among others. Countries with lower academic freedom compared to Hong Kong include Iran, China, Afghanistan, Syria, and others. North Korea ranks at the very bottom of the list.
