What is academic freedom index in Malawi?

Academic freedom index in Malawi was 0.795 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Malawi?

The highest recorded value was 0.847 in 2021.

What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Malawi?

The lowest recorded value was 0.119 in 1970.

How does Malawi rank for academic freedom index?

Malawi ranks 58th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.

Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Malawi?

Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Malawi 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 Malawi

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

Malawi: Academic Freedom Index was 0.795 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.795

Change on year

down 0.1%

World rank

58th

of 174 countries

All-time high

0.847

in 2021

All-time low

0.119

in 1970

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Malawi, 1900–2025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for academic freedom index in Malawi is 0.795, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Malawi peaked at 0.847 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.119, in 1970.

Malawi ranks 58th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Academic Freedom Index in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Academic Freedom Index in Malawi, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.152	—
1901	0.152	+0.0%
1902	0.152	+0.0%
1903	0.152	+0.0%
1904	0.152	+0.0%
1905	0.152	+0.0%
1906	0.152	+0.0%
1907	0.152	+0.0%
1908	0.152	+0.0%
1909	0.152	+0.0%
1910	0.152	+0.0%
1911	0.152	+0.0%
1912	0.152	+0.0%
1913	0.152	+0.0%
1914	0.152	+0.0%
1915	0.152	+0.0%
1916	0.152	+0.0%
1917	0.152	+0.0%
1918	0.152	+0.0%
1919	0.152	+0.0%
1920	0.152	+0.0%
1921	0.152	+0.0%
1922	0.152	+0.0%
1923	0.152	+0.0%
1924	0.152	+0.0%
1925	0.152	+0.0%
1926	0.152	+0.0%
1927	0.152	+0.0%
1928	0.152	+0.0%
1929	0.152	+0.0%
1930	0.152	+0.0%
1931	0.152	+0.0%
1932	0.152	+0.0%
1933	0.152	+0.0%
1934	0.152	+0.0%
1935	0.152	+0.0%
1936	0.152	+0.0%
1937	0.152	+0.0%
1938	0.152	+0.0%
1939	0.152	+0.0%
1940	0.152	+0.0%
1941	0.152	+0.0%
1942	0.152	+0.0%
1943	0.152	+0.0%
1944	0.198	+30.3%
1945	0.198	+0.0%
1946	0.198	+0.0%
1947	0.198	+0.0%
1948	0.198	+0.0%
1949	0.198	+0.0%
1950	0.198	+0.0%
1951	0.198	+0.0%
1952	0.198	+0.0%
1953	0.198	+0.0%
1954	0.262	+32.3%
1955	0.262	+0.0%
1956	0.262	+0.0%
1957	0.262	+0.0%
1958	0.203	-22.5%
1959	0.203	+0.0%
1960	0.203	+0.0%
1961	0.209	+3.0%
1962	0.209	+0.0%
1963	0.209	+0.0%
1964	0.139	-33.5%
1965	0.165	+18.7%
1966	0.163	-1.2%
1967	0.163	+0.0%
1968	0.163	+0.0%
1969	0.163	+0.0%
1970	0.119	-27.0%
1971	0.119	+0.0%
1972	0.119	+0.0%
1973	0.119	+0.0%
1974	0.119	+0.0%
1975	0.16	+34.5%
1976	0.16	+0.0%
1977	0.16	+0.0%
1978	0.141	-11.9%
1979	0.141	+0.0%
1980	0.141	+0.0%
1981	0.141	+0.0%
1982	0.141	+0.0%
1983	0.141	+0.0%
1984	0.141	+0.0%
1985	0.141	+0.0%
1986	0.141	+0.0%
1987	0.141	+0.0%
1988	0.141	+0.0%
1989	0.141	+0.0%
1990	0.161	+14.2%
1991	0.161	+0.0%
1992	0.161	+0.0%
1993	0.171	+6.2%
1994	0.55	+221.6%
1995	0.628	+14.2%
1996	0.685	+9.1%
1997	0.697	+1.8%
1998	0.697	+0.0%
1999	0.697	+0.0%
2000	0.697	+0.0%
2001	0.697	+0.0%
2002	0.697	+0.0%
2003	0.697	+0.0%
2004	0.697	+0.0%
2005	0.708	+1.6%
2006	0.676	-4.5%
2007	0.612	-9.5%
2008	0.612	+0.0%
2009	0.608	-0.7%
2010	0.64	+5.3%
2011	0.636	-0.6%
2012	0.689	+8.3%
2013	0.769	+11.6%
2014	0.769	+0.0%
2015	0.768	-0.1%
2016	0.762	-0.8%
2017	0.764	+0.3%
2018	0.764	+0.0%
2019	0.758	-0.8%
2020	0.815	+7.5%
2021	0.847	+3.9%
2022	0.792	-6.5%
2023	0.826	+4.3%
2024	0.796	-3.6%
2025	0.795	-0.1%

Malawi compared with similar countries

Malawi's 0.795 is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.326, 2.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Malawi's 0.795 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.519, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.152	0.152	0.152	10
1910s	0.152	0.152	0.152	10
1920s	0.152	0.152	0.152	10
1930s	0.152	0.152	0.152	10
1940s	0.1796	0.152	0.198	10
1950s	0.2246	0.198	0.262	10
1960s	0.1786	0.139	0.209	10
1970s	0.1357	0.119	0.16	10
1980s	0.141	0.141	0.141	10
1990s	0.4608	0.161	0.697	10
2000s	0.6701	0.608	0.708	10
2010s	0.7319	0.636	0.769	10
2020s	0.8118	0.792	0.847	6

Countries ranked near Malawi

55 Croatia 0.811 compare
56 Slovakia 0.807 compare
57 France 0.8 compare
59 Switzerland 0.773 compare
60 Netherlands 0.763 compare
61 Guyana 0.761 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Malawi

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 35,241 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 551 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate -33.33 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (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 551 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0016 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 Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Malawi?: Academic freedom index in Malawi was 0.795 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Malawi?: The highest recorded value was 0.847 in 2021.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Malawi?: The lowest recorded value was 0.119 in 1970.
How does Malawi rank for academic freedom index?: Malawi ranks 58th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Malawi?: Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi 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 Malawi. 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/malawi/

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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.