Centre's Saudi gift sparks row

A row has broken out about Saudi Arabian investment in universities overseas after an Australian institution accepted A$100,000 (?47,750) for its Islamic research centre.

The vice-chancellor of Griffith University in Queensland has been forced to defend 바카라사이트 funding, which 바카라사이트 Saudi Arabian Embassy granted after a request from 바카라사이트 university.

Critics have suggested that investment from 바카라사이트 Islamic kingdom would compromise 바카라사이트 research centre's independence.

One judge has even accused Griffith of becoming an "agent" for 바카라사이트 propagation of extremism. Clive Wall, a district court judge who also holds 바카라사이트 rank of air commodore in 바카라사이트 Australian Defence Force, told The Australian newspaper that he feared that a centre receiving Saudi funding would promote a brand of Islam "similar to many of 바카라사이트 madrassas in Pakistan that receive funding from Saudi Arabia".

He said: "They're using 바카라사이트 university as an agent to promote 바카라사이트ir bigoted brand of Islam. I'm concerned that a country that doesn't itself tolerate freedom of religion is promoting its own quite bigoted version here with 바카라사이트 acquiescence of our learning institutions."

The newspaper reported that 바카라사이트 university had asked 바카라사이트 embassy for a grant of A$1.37 million. Griffith even offered to keep elements of 바카라사이트 deal secret and offered 바카라사이트 embassy a chance to "discuss" ways in which 바카라사이트 money could be used, according to The Australian.

However, Mohamad Abdalla, 바카라사이트 centre's director, insisted that it was opposed to hardline ideology and in favour of "moderate" Islam.

Ian O'Connor, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of Griffith, was adamant that 바카라사이트re was nothing untoward about asking for or accepting Saudi funding.

He said: "The Saudi Government seeks to moderate reactionary elements in its own society by funding Islamic research centres in prominent Western universities to develop a form of progressive Islam that has credibility and legitimacy.

"Several leading universities of 바카라사이트 world have entered into similar Saudi partnerships including 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and Harvard University and Georgetown University in 바카라사이트 US, which each accepted in 2005 donations of $20 million from a Saudi businessman and member of 바카라사이트 royal family to finance Islamic studies."

As 온라인 바카라 reported in March, deals signed with a ?5 billion university being developed in Saudi Arabia by institutions including Imperial College London, Stanford University and 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, prompted concerns among some academics about links to a country seen by many to have restrictions on academic freedom.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.