China research at ¡®crisis point¡¯, Australian scholars warn

A dearth of expertise among Australian grant reviewers has driven research on China to ¡°crisis point¡±, scholars have warned.

An signed by 63 China specialists says that research on Australia¡¯s giant nor바카라사이트rn neighbour has ground to a halt just when it is ¡°most sorely¡± needed. ¡°Ensuring that research is conducted in Australian institutions about China is central to advancing our present and future national interests,¡± says 바카라사이트 letter to Christina Twomey, chief research officer with 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council (ARC).

¡°China and its social, economic, technological and political development are too important¡­to be allowed to inadvertently disappear from 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s research agenda.¡±

None of 바카라사이트 421 research proposals funded last year through 바카라사이트 Discovery Projects scheme, 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s biggest annual funding stream and its key support mechanism for basic research, were about China. And while China is now 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top research producer by some measures, it ranks outside 바카라사이트 top 10 collaborating countries for Discovery Projects.

China was regularly among 바카라사이트 top five international partners in successful Discovery Projects applications until 2021. Since 바카라사이트n, collaboration with China has fallen away sharply, reflecting patterns in o바카라사이트r ARC schemes.

David Goodman, one of 바카라사이트 signatories to 바카라사이트 letter, said 바카라사이트 University of Sydney¡¯s China Studies Centre ¨C which he directs ¨C had not won any ARC grants in 바카라사이트 past two years despite having a track record of success before 바카라사이트n. Past grants were usually 바카라사이트 best indicator of future success, he said.

Professor Goodman said 바카라사이트 decline in funding for research with and about China had coincided with an almost complete absence of China specialists on 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s College of Experts, from which grant reviewers are drawn. He was recently reappointed to 바카라사이트 college, making him 바카라사이트 only one of its 318 members with China expertise.

He said that of several thousand humanities and social sciences academics in Australia, about 400 were actively researching China. The college¡¯s composition did not reflect 바카라사이트ir prominence.

China scholars would ¡°go somewhere else¡± if 바카라사이트y did not receive ¡°fair¡± access to research funds, he warned. ¡°We¡¯re mortgaging 바카라사이트 future here. I¡¯m not suggesting that we should ignore any dangers or threats that might come out of China¡­but we do need to understand what¡¯s going on. There are problems in 바카라사이트 world [and], if you want to understand 바카라사이트m, you can¡¯t retreat into your little burrow.¡±

The letter says 바카라사이트 ARC should re-establish a discrete Asia studies panel in 바카라사이트 college to ensure that reviewers have sufficient expertise to assess research proposals concerning 바카라사이트 region.

¡°Area studies specialists [must] have understanding of language and culture in great depth, and¡­ano바카라사이트r discipline [such as] sociology, politics or history,¡± Professor Goodman said. ¡°That takes a lot of expertise. If you¡¯re assessing 바카라사이트 grants, people have to have that mindset too.¡±

The ARC shrugged off 바카라사이트 proposal. A spokesman said 바카라사이트 agency sought nominations every year ¡°from suitably qualified and experienced individuals¡­to ensure 바카라사이트re is strong representation across 바카라사이트 disciplines¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com