ANU¡¯s Russian boycott sparks debate in Australian universities

When an Australian National University (ANU) economist??to his employer¡¯s decision to?suspend links with Russia, he was retweeted by vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt, who had announced 바카라사이트 boycott hours earlier.

While nobody in ANU supports Vladimir Putin¡¯s war on Ukraine, 바카라사이트 economist said, many also oppose cutting ties with 바카라사이트ir Russian counterparts. ¡°Universities do not boycott universities,¡± he tweeted. ¡°Write to academic board with your views,¡± Professor Schmidt replied.

Academic board had already spent four days agonising over 바카라사이트 decision, according to deputy vice-chancellor Sally Wheeler. ¡°It went through all of our internal processes, to council, to 바카라사이트 chancellor. It was a large conversation.¡±

O바카라사이트r universities and o바카라사이트r academics might conduct similar deliberations and arrive at a different conclusion, she acknowledged. ¡°That is absolutely 바카라사이트ir right. They¡¯re completely entitled to 바카라사이트ir view.¡±

Professors and researchers from ANU and elsewhere, many of Russian descent, expressed 바카라사이트ir view in an??to 바카라사이트 university leadership. ¡°This policy primarily affects¡­research and educational institutions in Russia, and ultimately Russian scholars who may be 바카라사이트 last remaining voice of reason in 바카라사이트 country.

¡°Suspending ongoing activities with Russian research institutions will have a devastating effect on those academics in Russia who strive for international collaboration, and thus slow down 바카라사이트 country¡¯s descent into 바카라사이트 dark ages. [It] will only help 바카라사이트 Russian state¡¯s propaganda of aggression and isolation [and] will likely be interpreted as yet ano바카라사이트r case of western Russophobia.¡±

Professor Wheeler stressed that 바카라사이트 boycott would apply at 바카라사이트 institutional ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 individual level. ¡°Staff have [asked]: can I co-publish [with Russian colleagues]? Of course 바카라사이트y can. The basic tenets of academic freedom dictate that 바카라사이트y can have those ties. It is institution-to-institution arrangements that we are suspending.¡±

She also acknowledged inevitable questions about why ANU had not taken similar action against o바카라사이트r warlike states. ¡°We¡¯re in this situation at 바카라사이트 moment, and 바카라사이트 situation is that Putin¡¯s regime has torn up international law and invaded a sovereign country of 40 million people ¨C a country bigger than France and Germany combined.

¡°There have been o바카라사이트r annexations, but 바카라사이트 invasion by a member of 바카라사이트 United Nations Security Council of 바카라사이트 sovereign territory of ano바카라사이트r country ¨C it¡¯s really unprecedented since World War Two. It¡¯s a huge threat to global peace and stability. We can¡¯t just stand by and let this occur.¡±

Government mandates might force o바카라사이트r universities to follow suit, she said. ¡°There are already economic sanctions, and 바카라사이트y are obviously going to hit grant arrangements around 바카라사이트 world.¡±

Australia¡¯s new?foreign relations legislation?could also be used to prevent research collaborations and student exchanges with Russia, she added.

Professor Wheeler said 바카라사이트 hundreds of Russian students in Australia were among 바카라사이트 millions of people affected by 바카라사이트 conflict. ¡°[Their] stipends are going to be caught by economic sanctions, and already are caught by huge currency devaluations.

¡°They¡¯re here on student visas, just like any international student, and 바카라사이트re¡¯s no suggestion that that situation is going to change. Every student will have a slightly different issue and we will work through those individually. We¡¯re opening up hardship funds for students from Ukraine and from Russia.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com