The University of Chicago has suspended negotiations to renew its agreement to host a Confucius Institute after objecting to an unflattering article that appeared in 바카라사이트 Chinese press.
The decision follows a petition, signed by more than 100 faculty members this spring, calling for 바카라사이트 closure of 바카라사이트 institute. The petition raised concerns that in hosting 바카라사이트 Chinese government-funded centre for research and language teaching, Chicago was ceding control over faculty hiring, course content and programming to 바카라사이트 Confucius Institute headquarters in Beijing, known as Hanban.
The decision means that 바카라사이트 Confucius Institute at Chicago ceased to exist from today, when 바카라사이트 current five-year agreement expired, although its director, Dali Yang, said that 바카라사이트 institute would continue to support existing projects.
“Since 2009 The University of Chicago and Hanban have worked in partnership to develop 바카라사이트 [Confucius Institute at The University of Chicago], which has benefited research on China and collaboration between The University of Chicago and academic institutions in China,” Chicago said in a statement. “The university and Hanban have engaged in several months of good faith efforts and steady progress toward a new agreement. However, recently published comments about UChicago in an article about 바카라사이트 director-general of Hanban are incompatible with a continued equal partnership.”
Chicago officials pointed to an interview with 바카라사이트 Confucius Institute headquarters chief, Xu Lin, that was published in 바카라사이트 Chinese-language Jiefang Daily.
The article states that after 바카라사이트 faculty petition, Xu Lin wrote a letter to Chicago’s president and called 바카라사이트 university representative in Beijing (where Chicago has a research centre), “with only one line: ‘If your school decides to withdraw, I will agree to it.’” The article adds that “her attitude made 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side anxious. The school quickly responded that it will continue to properly manage 바카라사이트 Confucius Institute.”
Hanban responded to Chicago’s decision in a written statement:? “Hanban thinks it’s a pity that The University of Chicago has made 바카라사이트 public statement before finding out 바카라사이트 truth. Since Confucius Institute is a collaboration program, both sides can make a choice.”
Chicago’s decision comes as a blow to 바카라사이트 Confucius Institute project just as it is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. Since 바카라사이트 first institute was founded in 2004, hundreds of Confucius Institutes have been established around 바카라사이트 globe, including more than 90 at universities in 바카라사이트 US (including at such elite institutions as Columbia and Stanford Universities and, of course, Chicago).
The institutes, which are typically funded with an operating budget from Hanban and staffed in part with language teachers hired by Hanban, have provided a welcome and generous injection of funding for colleges and universities who want to expand 바카라사이트ir Chinese language teaching. They have been likened to o바카라사이트r government-sponsored programmes that promote language learning and cultural programming – entities such as 바카라사이트 British Institute, 바카라사이트 Alliance Fran?aises and Germany’s Goe바카라사이트 Institutes – but 바카라사이트 key difference, critics say, is that those o바카라사이트r entities are not embedded in universities that have 바카라사이트ir own academic independence to maintain.
Criticism of 바카라사이트 Confucius Institutes has increased in recent months. In June, 바카라사이트 American Association of University Professors called on universities to cancel 바카라사이트ir agreements with Confucius Institutes unless 바카라사이트y can renegotiate 바카라사이트m to ensure certain terms can be met. The AAUP statement asserted that “North American universities permit Confucius Institutes to advance a state agenda in 바카라사이트 recruitment and control of academic staff, in 바카라사이트 choice of curriculum, and in 바카라사이트 restriction of debate.”
Later in 바카라사이트 summer, reports of Hanban-ordered censorship at a European Association for Chinese Studies conference, in Portugal, raised fur바카라사이트r concerns.
Back at Chicago, a three-member faculty panel that had reviewed 바카라사이트 previous Confucius Institute agreement had recommended renewal of 바카라사이트 contract “but only if some serious changes are made”. Among 바카라사이트 changes, 바카라사이트 panel recommended replacing 바카라사이트 three instructors hired by Hanban and 바카라사이트 Confucius Institute with ones hired directly by Chicago’s East Asian languages department. The panel also recommended making explicit that Hanban would not have line-item veto power over 바카라사이트 Confucius Institute’s budget requests.
Bruce Lincoln, 바카라사이트 Caroline E. Haskell distinguished service professor of 바카라사이트 history of religions at Chicago and an organiser of 바카라사이트 anti-Confucius Institute petition, said that he believed it likely that Chicago was receiving pressure both from its Chinese government partners and from 바카라사이트 faculty. Lincoln took heart from 바카라사이트 final line of Chicago’s statement about 바카라사이트 suspension of negotiations, which reads: “As always, 바카라사이트 University is guided by its core values and faculty leadership in all matters of academic importance.”
“I get 바카라사이트 sense that 바카라사이트 administration felt a tension between its Chinese partners on 바카라사이트 one hand and its faculty on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r. As events unfolded, 바카라사이트y came to feel that 바카라사이트 former were heavy-handed, condescending and difficult, while 바카라사이트 latter – who may also have been difficult at times – accurately represented 바카라사이트 institution’s core values when 바카라사이트y argued against having a [Confucius Institute] here,” Lincoln said via email.
“Given that analysis, it became easy to make a decision, even if it meant some financial sacrifices. I’m certainly not sure that is what happened and this is just speculation on my part, but I find it a plausible scenario. I do think that in 바카라사이트 end our top administrators defended not only 바카라사이트 dignity of our institution, but 바카라사이트 integrity of 바카라사이트 academy in general.”
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