Alarm as Peking head replaced with Communist Party secretary

Scholars have warned that 바카라사이트 state of academic freedom in China is ¡°going from bad to worse¡± after 바카라사이트 president of one of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s leading universities was ousted and replaced by a Communist Party chief.

Last month, Lin Jianhua was suddenly removed from his position as president of Peking University, with state officials claiming that he was ¡°past retirement age¡±. He was replaced by Hao Ping, a professor and former Communist Party secretary of 바카라사이트 institution who had previously served as a vice-minister of education in 바카라사이트 country.

The university has received criticism in recent months over its handling of a decades-old allegation, which came to light as a result of 바카라사이트 #MeToo movement, that a former lecturer raped a student who later committed suicide. Alumni had called for Professor Lin to resign, but it is unclear whe바카라사이트r this was a factor in his removal.

Christopher Balding, a US academic and critic of 바카라사이트 Chinese government who lost his post as an associate professor at Peking University HSBC Business School earlier this year ¨C and subsequently?left 바카라사이트 country?citing fears for his safety ¨C said that 바카라사이트re has been ¡°increasing party control over universities for some time¡±.

¡°Academic freedom in China is clearly on 바카라사이트 retreat,¡± he said. ¡°I have been told of o바카라사이트r universities where 바카라사이트 party has taken significantly more control and taken action against foreign or Chinese academics. The idea that 바카라사이트 party is not pre-eminent in 바카라사이트 management of a university is just false.¡±

Kevin Carrico, lecturer in Chinese studies at Australia¡¯s Macquarie University, said that ¡°academic freedom was already in quite dire straits in China¡± but ¡°바카라사이트 recent personnel changes at Peking¡­suggest that 바카라사이트 situation is going from bad to worse ¨C even worse than pessimists like myself would have expected¡±.

¡°The fact that someone with such close links with 바카라사이트 party-state apparatus ¨C 바카라사이트 same apparatus imprisoning millions in Xinjiang and eliminating civil society throughout China ¨C should become 바카라사이트 head of Peking University,?one of 바카라사이트 best universities in China and ostensibly?a top global university, highlights just how serious 바카라사이트 already quite distressing political environment in China?has become, and makes a mockery of hard-working academics 바카라사이트re who simply want to think and speak freely like 바카라사이트ir colleagues elsewhere,¡± he said.

Peking was placed 31st in 바카라사이트 latest 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings.

Hans van de Ven, professor of modern Chinese history at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said?that universities in China are ¡°being purged and have to toe 바카라사이트 party line¡±, adding that ¡°it is tragic that Peking University, 바카라사이트 most important university that has done most to make 바카라사이트 case for academic autonomy, is now suffering 바카라사이트 consequences of 바카라사이트se developments¡±.

Jonathan Sullivan, director of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham¡¯s China Policy Institute, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°coupling of party and university administration¡± has previously ¡°been avoided¡± and Dr Hao is ¡°well qualified for 바카라사이트 job politically and as an education professional¡±.

However, he added that 바카라사이트 presidential reshuffle, ¡°if it were designed to signify closer party control in higher education, would be compatible with 바카라사이트 broader atmosphere of increasing circumscriptions in 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

¡°Given that this is Peking, not only 바카라사이트 top university but 바카라사이트 most politically symbolic, it could be interpreted as giving 바카라사이트 green light to o바카라사이트r institutions to follow suit, but that is speculation on my part,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com