Academic Freedom Index in Israel

Israel: Academic Freedom Index was 0.84 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
0.84
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
41st
of 174 countries
All-time high
0.945
in 1980
All-time low
0.044
in 1913
Years of data
98
1900–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Israel, 1900–2025

00.20.40.60.81190019622025

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

Analysis

In 2025, academic freedom index in Israel stood at 0.84.

The figure is down 10.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Israel peaked at 0.945 in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.044, in 1913.

Israel ranks 41st of 174 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 98 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 0.0582 0.045 0.119 10
1910s 0.0661 0.044 0.119 10
1940s 0.893 0.893 0.893 2
1950s 0.9008 0.893 0.906 10
1960s 0.9063 0.906 0.907 10
1970s 0.9157 0.914 0.931 10
1980s 0.945 0.945 0.945 10
1990s 0.945 0.945 0.945 10
2000s 0.945 0.945 0.945 10
2010s 0.9406 0.938 0.945 10
2020s 0.8845 0.84 0.929 6

Countries ranked near Israel

  1. 39 New Zealand 0.847 compare
  2. 40 Zambia 0.844 compare
  3. 42 Peru 0.838 compare
  4. 43 Botswana 0.834 compare
  5. 44 Nepal 0.831 compare
  6. 44 South Africa 0.831 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Israel

All data for Israel →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Israel?
Academic freedom index in Israel was 0.84 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Israel?
The highest recorded value was 0.945 in 1980.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Israel?
The lowest recorded value was 0.044 in 1913.
How does Israel rank for academic freedom index?
Israel ranks 41st out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Israel?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Israel 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 98 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

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

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.