This roundtable presents a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal Central Asian Affairs, published by the Central Asia Program at George Washington University, devoted to the theme of academic freedom in Central Asia. The special issue emerged from discussions initiated at the conference “Academic Freedom in Flux,” held in Tashkent in October 2025 and organized by the Center for Independent Social Research (CISRus). The conference brought together scholars from Central Asia and beyond and highlighted the growing pressures on universities, researchers, and students across the region. Central Asian countries are currently experiencing rapid geopolitical, social, and economic transformations while maintaining predominantly authoritarian political systems. These conditions have a direct impact on higher education and research institutions, shaping patterns of political oversight, administrative control, and institutional dependency on the state. As a result, academic freedom is increasingly constrained through formal regulations, informal pressure, and widespread self-censorship. Despite the significance of these processes, academic freedom in Central Asia remains underexplored in comparative scholarship and underrepresented in international academic debates. The special issue seeks to address this gap by revealing and analyzing key challenges to academic freedom in Central Asia and situating them within a broader post-Soviet context. Its objectives are fourfold: first, to provide empirically grounded analyses of restrictions on academic freedom in the region; second, to distinguish region-specific dynamics from trends shared with other post-Soviet societies; third, to offer an international publication platform for scholars based in Central Asia; and fourth, to raise awareness about the current state of academic freedom and encourage critical reflection on past and present academic practices within local institutions. The roundtable will introduce the main findings of the special issue and reflect on its broader implications for higher education, research integrity, and democratic development. Particular attention will be paid to cross-cutting issues such as gender inequality in academia, unequal access to academic careers, and the differentiated risks faced by scholars working on politically sensitive topics. The discussion will also address the role of students and early-career researchers, highlighting how access to critical scholarship can foster awareness of academic rights and responsibilities. By bringing together editors, contributors, and discussants, the roundtable aims to engage an international academic audience in a comparative discussion of academic freedom, amplify voices from Central Asia, and contribute to ongoing debates on the protection of academic autonomy in authoritarian and semi-authoritarian contexts.