As a splendid example of how free exchange of ideas is under challenge from British institutions, take a look at the British Library's recent panel "discussion" on climate change. Chaired by James Randerson and with a panel featuring a climatologist in the shape of the Met Office's Steven Belcher and two green activists in the shape of Bob Ward and George Marshall.
Of course with nobody there to contradict them, the participants are free to make things up to suit their case. So we have Ward making the cynically dishonest statement that Owen Paterson "spent most of his time disputing the science of climate change" - to the best of my knowledge the only statement Paterson made on climate change during his time in office was acknowledge that the climate was changing and that there was a human element.
And Marshall was little better, claiming that records on extreme weather are being broken every year, a statement that directly contradicts the IPCC.