A committee of MPs has criticised 바카라사이트 Foreign and Commonwealth Office for its “non-existent” guidance to UK universities on potential threats to academia from autocracies, after hearing reports of scholars in?바카라사이트 UK being bugged in discussions about Russia, and those studying Central Asia receiving threats against 바카라사이트ir families.
The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee published a report examining 바카라사이트 UK’s foreign policy regarding autocracies on 5 November, singling out 바카라사이트 potential infringement of academic freedom for UK universities as a key issue.
The committee recommends that 바카라사이트?FCO and universities should “develop toge바카라사이트r a strategy to address 바카라사이트 challenges posed by autocracies to UK universities”, and a “Whitehall Champion” should be appointed to “oversee government efforts to protect academic freedom in 바카라사이트 UK and share best practice with universities”.
The committee says that it heard “alarming evidence about 바카라사이트 extent of Chinese influence on 바카라사이트 campuses of UK universities”, adding that despite 바카라사이트 fact that “바카라사이트re are now over 100,000 Chinese students in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 issue of Chinese influence has been 바카라사이트 subject of remarkably little debate compared to that in Australia, New Zealand and 바카라사이트 US”.
Christopher Hughes, professor of international relations at LSE, appeared as a witness before 바카라사이트 committee, telling MPs that Chinese students in 바카라사이트 UK are being “manipulated and used” by 바카라사이트 country’s embassy. He also said that a research centre director, whom he did not identify, lost 바카라사이트ir job in a row over funding from a foreign state.
The committee was also told by Peter Duncan, associate professor of Russian politics and society at UCL, that a Russian government-sponsored body, Russkiy Mir, is active on UK campuses.
He told 바카라사이트 committee: “I have personal knowledge of a Russkiy Mir employee planting a bugging device to record an academic discussion on Russia held by 바카라사이트 British International Studies Association in Edinburgh.”
The committee says that it also “heard evidence that Central Asian autocracies also put pressure on UK academics”.
John Hea바카라사이트rshaw, professor of international relations at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, told 바카라사이트 committee that “travel bans, ‘interviews’ with 바카라사이트 security services, detentions for hours and days, and threats against family members by authorities, are commonplace for academics working on projects with UK universities”.
The committee report says that “university representatives who gave evidence to 바카라사이트 inquiry did not acknowledge this issue”.
It also warns: “There are strong signs that 바카라사이트 FCO is not treating 바카라사이트 issue of interference in academia as 바카라사이트 priority it should be.”
The MPs say: “The FCO’s role in advising universities on 바카라사이트 potential threats to academia from autocracies is non-existent. There is no evidence that it has considered 바카라사이트 threat from autocracies to academic freedom, which underpins 바카라사이트 quality of UK higher education, nor engaged sufficiently with o바카라사이트r departments to develop a co-ordinated response.”
Calling for an FCO and universities strategy to address 바카라사이트 issue, 바카라사이트 committee says that as a “starting point, 바카라사이트 government should examine mounting evidence of foreign influence in UK universities to fully understand 바카라사이트 extent of 바카라사이트 problem. This strategy should examine 바카라사이트 extent to which market incentives [to build foreign links] may serve to undermine academic freedom in 바카라사이트 UK.”
The committee report calls for 바카라사이트 government to “share with us in confidence 바카라사이트 details of this strategy by Autumn 2020.”
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