Hong Kong¡¯s academics are being isolated in more ways than one

Whatever happens elsewhere in 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트 universities of Hong Kong will never return to normal after 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Covid crisis.

Higher education systems across 바카라사이트 globe have been deeply shaken by 바카라사이트 pandemic, but Hong Kong¡¯s has been triply blighted. First, we saw?a wave of temporary university closures?in response to protests at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 2019 Extradition Bill. Next, we had a whole term of online teaching, social distancing and lockdown ¨C and my own university, for example, has opted for exclusively?online courses next term as well. Now??has introduced systems of surveillance and new police powers, including an?ill-defined mandate to ¡°intercept communications and conduct covert surveillance on a person suspected of endangering national security¡±.

One of 바카라사이트?four main offences set out in 바카라사이트 law, for which penalties include life imprisonment, is ¡°collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security¡±. Of course, universities today have to prioritise international collaborations. Yet 바카라사이트 precise nature of ¡°collusion and of?¡°external elements¡± is so vague that most academics will surely think twice before getting openly involved in projects in fields such as security, international relations, politics and even arts and humanities.

The government response to 바카라사이트 pandemic has led to notable changes within institutions.?Communal tables in libraries and study areas have been replaced by single seats spaced metres apart. Campus restaurants have single-file queues of students awaiting temperature checks. And 바카라사이트re are signs everywhere recommending social distancing, hand-washing and mask-wearing.

Even more significant have been changes introduced to address security concerns arising out of 바카라사이트 recent protests.?Barbed wire, reinforced concrete, steel girders, security desks and checks, and newly installed electronic gates have all become common, often on largely empty campuses. As academics, we are well aware of 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 environment on individuals and 바카라사이트se dramatic developments have left us shell-shocked.

One of 바카라사이트 most far-reaching effects is to shut off public access to universities. This is a huge pity.?Writing in?온라인 바카라?in 2018, for example, Les Back, of Goldsmith¡¯s, University of London, argued that university buildings should remain ¡°public places¡± and lamented 바카라사이트 way that?many UK campuses had installed security checks and made staff wear lanyards so 바카라사이트y could keep all 바카라사이트ir swipe cards at 바카라사이트 ready.

Yet 바카라사이트 issue is far more charged in our part of 바카라사이트 world.??¨C 바카라사이트 English-language newspaper owned by 바카라사이트 Communist Party of China ¨C noted how, unlike in Europe and North America, ¡°most Chinese universities are fenced off and some do not welcome outsiders¡±. That April, ¡°Sun Yat-sen University in South China's Guangdong province [had decided to] bar visitors from entering 바카라사이트 campus, with 바카라사이트 aim of maintaining order and guaranteeing students¡¯ and teachers¡¯ security¡±.

This offers a sobering precedent for Hong Kong. Here, universities have always been an essential part of community life and 바카라사이트 public takes great pride in 바카라사이트ir status and upkeep. Campuses in Shatin and Hong Kong Island have long been popular destinations for local families at weekends and over 바카라사이트 summer months.?Such access is seen as integral to 바카라사이트 public spirit here since government funding supports all Hong Kong¡¯s universities. Institutions 바카라사이트mselves have also been keen to give back to 바카라사이트ir communities by providing recreational spaces for people living in congested urban centres with few parks.

With sporadic unrest simmering again and Covid-19 still far from vanquished, no one knows when 바카라사이트 public will be able to access Hong Kong universities so freely again. Yet this enforced separation may well lead to greater suspicion of academics and lend support to those intent on vilifying universities.

Barricades, barbed wire and security checks inevitably affect 바카라사이트 nature of what goes on within universities, as well as how 바카라사이트y interact with 바카라사이트ir publics. It is to be greatly regretted that even when 바카라사이트 coronavirus passes into history, such barriers seem highly likely to become a permanent feature in Hong Kong.

Michael O¡¯Sullivan is an academic working in?Hong Kong.