What is academic freedom index in Malaysia?

Academic freedom index in Malaysia was 0.289 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Malaysia?

The highest recorded value was 0.553 in 1965.

What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Malaysia?

The lowest recorded value was 0.239 in 1948.

How does Malaysia rank for academic freedom index?

Malaysia ranks 126th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.

Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Malaysia?

Over the last ten years it is down 29.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Malaysia 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 Malaysia

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

Malaysia: Academic Freedom Index was 0.289 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.289

Change on year

down 12.4%

World rank

126th

of 174 countries

All-time high

0.553

in 1965

All-time low

0.239

in 1948

Years of data

122

1904–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Malaysia, 1904–2025

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

Analysis

Malaysia recorded 0.289 for academic freedom index in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.4% on the previous year and down 29.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Malaysia peaked at 0.553 in 1965 and was at its lowest, 0.239, in 1948.

That places Malaysia 126th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 122 years of available data.

Academic Freedom Index in Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Academic Freedom Index in Malaysia, 1904 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1904	0.256	—
1905	0.256	+0.0%
1906	0.256	+0.0%
1907	0.256	+0.0%
1908	0.256	+0.0%
1909	0.256	+0.0%
1910	0.256	+0.0%
1911	0.256	+0.0%
1912	0.256	+0.0%
1913	0.256	+0.0%
1914	0.256	+0.0%
1915	0.256	+0.0%
1916	0.256	+0.0%
1917	0.256	+0.0%
1918	0.256	+0.0%
1919	0.256	+0.0%
1920	0.256	+0.0%
1921	0.256	+0.0%
1922	0.256	+0.0%
1923	0.256	+0.0%
1924	0.256	+0.0%
1925	0.256	+0.0%
1926	0.256	+0.0%
1927	0.256	+0.0%
1928	0.256	+0.0%
1929	0.256	+0.0%
1930	0.256	+0.0%
1931	0.256	+0.0%
1932	0.256	+0.0%
1933	0.256	+0.0%
1934	0.256	+0.0%
1935	0.256	+0.0%
1936	0.256	+0.0%
1937	0.256	+0.0%
1938	0.256	+0.0%
1939	0.256	+0.0%
1940	0.243	-5.1%
1941	0.243	+0.0%
1942	0.243	+0.0%
1943	0.243	+0.0%
1944	0.243	+0.0%
1945	0.243	+0.0%
1946	0.251	+3.3%
1947	0.251	+0.0%
1948	0.239	-4.8%
1949	0.239	+0.0%
1950	0.239	+0.0%
1951	0.239	+0.0%
1952	0.239	+0.0%
1953	0.239	+0.0%
1954	0.426	+78.2%
1955	0.401	-5.9%
1956	0.401	+0.0%
1957	0.455	+13.5%
1958	0.455	+0.0%
1959	0.455	+0.0%
1960	0.49	+7.7%
1961	0.49	+0.0%
1962	0.49	+0.0%
1963	0.49	+0.0%
1964	0.5	+2.0%
1965	0.553	+10.6%
1966	0.553	+0.0%
1967	0.553	+0.0%
1968	0.553	+0.0%
1969	0.488	-11.8%
1970	0.392	-19.7%
1971	0.374	-4.6%
1972	0.374	+0.0%
1973	0.374	+0.0%
1974	0.373	-0.3%
1975	0.356	-4.6%
1976	0.356	+0.0%
1977	0.356	+0.0%
1978	0.356	+0.0%
1979	0.356	+0.0%
1980	0.356	+0.0%
1981	0.354	-0.6%
1982	0.35	-1.1%
1983	0.35	+0.0%
1984	0.35	+0.0%
1985	0.35	+0.0%
1986	0.35	+0.0%
1987	0.35	+0.0%
1988	0.35	+0.0%
1989	0.35	+0.0%
1990	0.35	+0.0%
1991	0.35	+0.0%
1992	0.35	+0.0%
1993	0.35	+0.0%
1994	0.35	+0.0%
1995	0.35	+0.0%
1996	0.35	+0.0%
1997	0.35	+0.0%
1998	0.35	+0.0%
1999	0.35	+0.0%
2000	0.35	+0.0%
2001	0.355	+1.4%
2002	0.355	+0.0%
2003	0.383	+7.9%
2004	0.402	+5.0%
2005	0.402	+0.0%
2006	0.402	+0.0%
2007	0.402	+0.0%
2008	0.429	+6.7%
2009	0.423	-1.4%
2010	0.408	-3.5%
2011	0.408	+0.0%
2012	0.408	+0.0%
2013	0.408	+0.0%
2014	0.408	+0.0%
2015	0.408	+0.0%
2016	0.408	+0.0%
2017	0.426	+4.4%
2018	0.464	+8.9%
2019	0.464	+0.0%
2020	0.455	-1.9%
2021	0.444	-2.4%
2022	0.462	+4.1%
2023	0.378	-18.2%
2024	0.33	-12.7%
2025	0.289	-12.4%

Malaysia compared with similar countries

Malaysia's 0.289 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5905, 49% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Malaysia's 0.289 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.5275, 55% of the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.256	0.256	0.256	6
1910s	0.256	0.256	0.256	10
1920s	0.256	0.256	0.256	10
1930s	0.256	0.256	0.256	10
1940s	0.2438	0.239	0.251	10
1950s	0.3549	0.239	0.455	10
1960s	0.516	0.488	0.553	10
1970s	0.3667	0.356	0.392	10
1980s	0.351	0.35	0.356	10
1990s	0.35	0.35	0.35	10
2000s	0.3903	0.35	0.429	10
2010s	0.421	0.408	0.464	10
2020s	0.393	0.289	0.462	6

Countries ranked near Malaysia

123 Djibouti 0.302 compare
124 Guinea 0.301 compare
125 Hungary 0.299 compare
127 Libya 0.282 compare
128 Mali 0.281 compare
128 Ukraine 0.281 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Malaysia

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 150,164 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,477 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,477 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0042 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 Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Malaysia?: Academic freedom index in Malaysia was 0.289 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Malaysia?: The highest recorded value was 0.553 in 1965.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Malaysia?: The lowest recorded value was 0.239 in 1948.
How does Malaysia rank for academic freedom index?: Malaysia ranks 126th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Malaysia?: Over the last ten years it is down 29.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Malaysia 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 Malaysia. 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/malaysia/

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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.