What is academic freedom index in Austria?

Academic freedom index in Austria was 0.881 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Austria?

The highest recorded value was 0.972 in 2006.

What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Austria?

The lowest recorded value was 0.269 in 1937.

How does Austria rank for academic freedom index?

Austria ranks 21st out of 174 countries with data for 2025.

Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Austria?

Over the last ten years it is down 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Austria data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Academic Freedom Index in Austria

Name: Academic Freedom Index in Austria
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Austria: Academic Freedom Index was 0.881 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.881

Change on year

down 1.5%

World rank

21st

of 174 countries

All-time high

0.972

in 2006

All-time low

0.269

in 1937

Years of data

101

1918–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Austria, 1918–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, academic freedom index in Austria stood at 0.881.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 9.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Austria peaked at 0.972 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 0.269, in 1937.

Austria ranks 21st of 174 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 101 years of available data.

Academic Freedom Index in Austria, year by year

Annual values for Academic Freedom Index in Austria, 1918 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1918	0.465	—
1919	0.49	+5.4%
1920	0.543	+10.8%
1921	0.554	+2.0%
1922	0.554	+0.0%
1923	0.554	+0.0%
1924	0.554	+0.0%
1925	0.558	+0.7%
1926	0.558	+0.0%
1927	0.558	+0.0%
1928	0.545	-2.3%
1929	0.545	+0.0%
1930	0.508	-6.8%
1931	0.508	+0.0%
1932	0.508	+0.0%
1933	0.421	-17.1%
1934	0.299	-29.0%
1935	0.293	-2.0%
1936	0.281	-4.1%
1937	0.269	-4.3%
1945	0.653	+142.8%
1946	0.669	+2.5%
1947	0.669	+0.0%
1948	0.669	+0.0%
1949	0.669	+0.0%
1950	0.697	+4.2%
1951	0.697	+0.0%
1952	0.697	+0.0%
1953	0.697	+0.0%
1954	0.697	+0.0%
1955	0.697	+0.0%
1956	0.826	+18.5%
1957	0.842	+1.9%
1958	0.842	+0.0%
1959	0.842	+0.0%
1960	0.858	+1.9%
1961	0.858	+0.0%
1962	0.858	+0.0%
1963	0.858	+0.0%
1964	0.858	+0.0%
1965	0.858	+0.0%
1966	0.858	+0.0%
1967	0.858	+0.0%
1968	0.858	+0.0%
1969	0.863	+0.6%
1970	0.904	+4.8%
1971	0.906	+0.2%
1972	0.906	+0.0%
1973	0.926	+2.2%
1974	0.926	+0.0%
1975	0.926	+0.0%
1976	0.942	+1.7%
1977	0.942	+0.0%
1978	0.942	+0.0%
1979	0.942	+0.0%
1980	0.942	+0.0%
1981	0.942	+0.0%
1982	0.942	+0.0%
1983	0.942	+0.0%
1984	0.942	+0.0%
1985	0.942	+0.0%
1986	0.952	+1.1%
1987	0.952	+0.0%
1988	0.952	+0.0%
1989	0.952	+0.0%
1990	0.963	+1.2%
1991	0.963	+0.0%
1992	0.963	+0.0%
1993	0.965	+0.2%
1994	0.965	+0.0%
1995	0.965	+0.0%
1996	0.965	+0.0%
1997	0.965	+0.0%
1998	0.965	+0.0%
1999	0.965	+0.0%
2000	0.967	+0.2%
2001	0.967	+0.0%
2002	0.969	+0.2%
2003	0.969	+0.0%
2004	0.969	+0.0%
2005	0.969	+0.0%
2006	0.972	+0.3%
2007	0.972	+0.0%
2008	0.972	+0.0%
2009	0.972	+0.0%
2010	0.972	+0.0%
2011	0.972	+0.0%
2012	0.972	+0.0%
2013	0.972	+0.0%
2014	0.972	+0.0%
2015	0.972	+0.0%
2016	0.972	+0.0%
2017	0.972	+0.0%
2018	0.972	+0.0%
2019	0.964	-0.8%
2020	0.954	-1.0%
2021	0.961	+0.7%
2022	0.929	-3.3%
2023	0.894	-3.8%
2024	0.894	+0.0%
2025	0.881	-1.5%

Austria compared with similar countries

Austria's 0.881 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.847, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Austria's 0.881 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7865, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1910s	0.4775	0.465	0.49	2
1920s	0.5523	0.543	0.558	10
1930s	0.3859	0.269	0.508	8
1940s	0.6658	0.653	0.669	5
1950s	0.7534	0.697	0.842	10
1960s	0.8585	0.858	0.863	10
1970s	0.9262	0.904	0.942	10
1980s	0.946	0.942	0.952	10
1990s	0.9644	0.963	0.965	10
2000s	0.9698	0.967	0.972	10
2010s	0.9712	0.964	0.972	10
2020s	0.9188	0.881	0.961	6

Countries ranked near Austria

18 Dominican Republic 0.901 compare
19 Solomon Islands 0.9 compare
20 Cyprus 0.889 compare
22 Germany 0.877 compare
23 Nigeria 0.876 compare
24 Denmark 0.875 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Austria

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 286,651 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 33 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 33 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0311 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Austria →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Austria?: Academic freedom index in Austria was 0.881 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Austria?: The highest recorded value was 0.972 in 2006.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Austria?: The lowest recorded value was 0.269 in 1937.
How does Austria rank for academic freedom index?: Austria ranks 21st out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Austria?: Over the last ten years it is down 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Austria data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Academic Freedom Index in Austria. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/academic-freedom-index/austria/

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About this data

Indicator: Academic Freedom Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 174 places, 16,942 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which academics can research, teach, publish, express opinions, and participate in academic bodies without interference, censorship, or institutional restrictions, and universities exercise institutional autonomy.