Academic Freedom Index in Ukraine
Ukraine: Academic Freedom Index was 0.281 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Academic Freedom Index in Ukraine, 1946–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for academic freedom index in Ukraine is 0.281, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 4.1% on the previous year and down 48.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Ukraine peaked at 0.757 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.005, in 1946.
Ukraine ranks 128th 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 Ukraine, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 0.005 | — |
| 1947 | 0.005 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.005 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.005 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.007 | +40.0% |
| 1951 | 0.007 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.007 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.008 | +14.3% |
| 1954 | 0.025 | +212.5% |
| 1955 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.029 | +16.0% |
| 1957 | 0.026 | -10.3% |
| 1958 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.032 | +23.1% |
| 1961 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.029 | -9.4% |
| 1964 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.027 | -6.9% |
| 1966 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.025 | -7.4% |
| 1970 | 0.041 | +64.0% |
| 1971 | 0.041 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.041 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.041 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.035 | -14.6% |
| 1975 | 0.037 | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 0.035 | -5.4% |
| 1977 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.044 | +25.7% |
| 1981 | 0.049 | +11.4% |
| 1982 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.056 | +14.3% |
| 1985 | 0.055 | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 0.084 | +52.7% |
| 1987 | 0.162 | +92.9% |
| 1988 | 0.286 | +76.5% |
| 1989 | 0.349 | +22.0% |
| 1990 | 0.299 | -14.3% |
| 1991 | 0.382 | +27.8% |
| 1992 | 0.619 | +62.0% |
| 1993 | 0.672 | +8.6% |
| 1994 | 0.698 | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 0.698 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.698 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.686 | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 0.688 | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 0.673 | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 0.679 | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 0.679 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.663 | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 0.663 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.627 | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 0.654 | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 0.705 | +7.8% |
| 2007 | 0.721 | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 0.757 | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 0.734 | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 0.68 | -7.4% |
| 2011 | 0.68 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.68 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.68 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.532 | -21.8% |
| 2015 | 0.55 | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 0.565 | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 0.56 | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 0.569 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 0.583 | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 0.611 | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 0.627 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 0.514 | -18.0% |
| 2023 | 0.481 | -6.4% |
| 2024 | 0.27 | -43.9% |
| 2025 | 0.281 | +4.1% |
Ukraine compared with similar countries
- Ukraine's 0.281 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5905, 48% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Ukraine's 0.281 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7865, 36% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Academic Freedom Index in Ukraine changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | +212.5% | 0.008 | 0.025 |
| 1987 | +92.9% | 0.084 | 0.162 |
| 1988 | +76.5% | 0.162 | 0.286 |
| 1970 | +64.0% | 0.025 | 0.041 |
| 1992 | +62.0% | 0.382 | 0.619 |
| 1986 | +52.7% | 0.055 | 0.084 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.005 | 0.005 | 0.005 | 4 |
| 1950s | 0.0186 | 0.007 | 0.029 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0287 | 0.025 | 0.032 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0376 | 0.035 | 0.041 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1183 | 0.044 | 0.349 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6113 | 0.299 | 0.698 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6882 | 0.627 | 0.757 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6079 | 0.532 | 0.68 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.464 | 0.27 | 0.627 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ukraine
More social development data for Ukraine
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,370 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5.22 million (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 0.134 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5.22 million (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is academic freedom index in Ukraine?
- Academic freedom index in Ukraine was 0.281 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Ukraine?
- The highest recorded value was 0.757 in 2008.
- What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Ukraine?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.005 in 1946.
- How does Ukraine rank for academic freedom index?
- Ukraine ranks 128th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Ukraine?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ukraine 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 — 80 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.