About us ?
The Collective for academic freedom, democracy and solidarity (CLADS) is a non-profit association, founded on 11 December 2024. It brings together staff from the University of Lausanne, the EPFL and other tertiary institutions in the Canton of Vaud. It respects the principles of the University of Lausanne Charter and the EPFL Ethics Charter. It is based on an understanding of the University that is democratic in operation, open in access, critical in the construction of knowledge, opposed to all forms of discrimination, supportive and respectful of human rights and international law, and free from repression of these rights.
Goals
CLADS pursues the following goals:
- to protect the autonomy of higher education universities and colleges, and ensure that these institutions respect the values inherent in the fulfillment of their purposes of research and education;
- to ensure the respect of the academic freedom of lecturers/researchers, and defend them against any infringement of this fundamental freedom in the exercise of their profession;
- to protect and promote the creation of critical knowledge within universities and colleges, and their duty to publicize it in accordance with the critical function that these institutions must embrace;
- to protect data gathered by researchers from seizure;
- to defend the freedom of expression of lecturers/researchers in the public arena, and encourage them to engage with the public, based upon the values that underpin scientific work;
- to defend freedom of expression and assembly for all members of universities and colleges;
- to express and develop active solidarity with members of academic institutions who are in danger, in Switzerland and around the world.
Organisation
CLADS is led by a committee, which is organised into working groups on different issues.
Join us to contribute to a working group and propose actions!
The committee:
- Nicolas Bancel, full professor, SSP, Unil
- Mounia Bennani-Chraïbi, full professor, SSP, Unil (secretary)
- Sébastien Chauvin, associate professor, SSP, Unil
- Joseph Daher, guest professor, SSP, Unil
- Garance Durr-Legoupil-Nicoud, PhD researcher, Physique, EPFL
- Olivier Fillieule, full professor, SSP, Unil
- Antoine Iweins, ENAC, EPFL
- Laurent Le Forestier, full professor, Lettres, Unil
- Eléonore Lépinard, full professor, SSP, Unil
- Irene Maffi, full professor, SSP, Unil
- Guillaume Matthey, PhD researcher, SSP, Unil
- Elio Panese, PhD researcher, FDCA, Unil
- Francesco Panese, full professor, SSP, Unil
- Yves Pedrazzini, associate researcher, ENAC, EPFL
- Stéfanie Prezioso, associate professor, SSP, Unil
- Jamila Sam, senior scientist, IC, EPFL (co-présidente)
- Julia Steinberger, full professor, FGSE, Unil (co-présidente)
- Josselin Tricou, MA, FTSR, Unil
- Bernard Voutat, emeritus professor, SSP, Unil
Membership
Events
Actions
Our recent and forthcoming actions
- Condemnation of Palantir’s participation at the EPFL ForumCondemnation of Palantir’s participation at the EPFL Forum CLADS, alongside Unipoly, Polyquity, Ingénieur.es du Monde, Syndicat SUD, Étudiant-e-s Précaires, Zero Emission Group, PSC (palestinian student association), les Irrotationnel·le·s, CLIC, Pôle d’expression théatrale, Artiphys, ASAR, ELP (étudiantexs lausannoisexs pacifistes) and Satellite, condemn in the strongest possible terms the EPFL Forum for inviting Palantir and other companies involved in mass surveillance, the deportation of vulnerable populations, and the development and production of military… Read more: Condemnation of Palantir’s participation at the EPFL Forum
- Rally in support of (former) professor Joseph DaherWhilst the proceedings challenging the “non-renewal” of (former) Professor Daher’s contract by Unil are still ongoing, Unil – fearing the consequences of a defeat before the Public Service Labour Tribunal (TRIPAC) – served notice of his dismissal to (former) Professor Daher in a letter dated 24 April.Unil is thus dismissing an employee with whom it considers it has not had an employment relationship for more than 15 months, since the… Read more: Rally in support of (former) professor Joseph Daher
Our recent and forthcoming events
- Round table discussion: Science and Democracy, what is at stake?
Oct 29, 2026, 18:00–20:00, Amphimax, UNIL
In the age of generative AI and social media, disinformation is created and disseminated on a mass scale. The independence of the media and scientific institutions is under pressure. Knowledge that was once taken for granted is in decline. Gradually, citizens are losing the ability to form informed judgments based on scientific information—an essential prerequisite for the exercise of representative democracy. - Roundtable: documenting the (in)accessible
Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 5:30–7:00 p.m. Géopolis 2207, UNIL Access to the field is a central issue in social science research. . From Federal asylum centers to the Federal Intelligence Service, this roundtable brings together Tamara Constantin and Megane Lederrey, whose work has explored fields considered inaccessible.