Democratizing Academia: New Concepts of Socialization at Tunisia´s Universities This paper discusses the changing role of Tunisian universities that started with the introduction of democracy in 2011. I argue that since the breakdown of authoritarianism the Tunisian state regards institutions of higher education as key actors within the national democratization project. My observations are based on the analysis of policies, laws, newspaper articles from the Tunisian press and interviews conducted in Tunisia. The democratic governments since 2011 have decided for an array of policies that aim at democratizing universities and therefore socializing for democratic university students. The till that date omnipresent university police was taken from the campuses and novelties like democratic elections of academic senates, university councils, deans, directors and university presidents were introduced. Students are now understood as political subjects and politically active citizens. As the national “Strategic Plan for the Reform of Higher Education and Science 2015-2025” illustrates, the state understands universities as multipliers of the democratic idea in the country. As laid down in the strategic plan, universities should better connect with their local communities and through that spread democratic values in society. This view on universities corresponds with the concept of “civically engaged universities” which is a theoretical ideal that has its origin in U.S.-American discussions on the interconnectedness of universities, civil society and democracy. The Tunisian state manages the socialization of its academic youth on an international level as well and increasingly cooperates with universities in other democratic states. Students and academic staff are send abroad not only for enriching their professional expertise, but also to learn about the democratic functioning of student parliaments etc. Furthermore, the Tunisian state has to face that in the new political freedom the cleavage between secularist and Islamist forces has become visible at the universities. As the “Manouba-Affair” made clear, Islamist voices and even Salafist violence have entered the campuses. A certain Islamization of university life also became apparent in November 2015 when for the first time the Islamist student organization UGTE won the elections over the student councils. It remains to be seen how the state will manage the Islamization of its academic youth. However, if Tunisia wants to keep on the democratic track, it will have to give Islam a voice at its universities.