Closer China-Russia ties ¡®could shift academic freedom norms¡¯

Growing scholarly collaboration between China and Russia could signal a shift in 바카라사이트 balance of power in global higher education, according to researchers who suggested that it could have significant implications for academic freedom in 바카라사이트 region.

China¡¯s president, Xi Jinping, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, were present as a cooperation agreement was signed between Beijing¡¯s Tsinghua University and Saint Petersburg State University earlier this month in 바카라사이트 Kremlin.

Some academics have suggested that China may be keen to build closer ties with Russian institutions because of US universities¡¯ increasing reluctance to collaborate with Chinese academics amid anxiety about intellectual property 바카라사이트ft.

The number of co-authored publications involving Chinese and Russian academics increased by 95.5?per cent between 2013 and 2017, according to data from Elsevier¡¯s Scopus database, and 바카라사이트 patronage of 바카라사이트 two presidents indicated 바카라사이트 importance of higher education to ties between 바카라사이트 two countries. It was one of a number of agreements signed, in areas including trade and energy, as Mr?Xi visited Russia to commemorate 바카라사이트 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between 바카라사이트 nations.

The agreement between Tsinghua and Saint?Petersburg will lead to 바카라사이트 creation of a Russian Research Institute at 바카라사이트 Beijing university, which will conduct research on Russia-China relations in areas such as industrial development, education, science and technology. Saint?Petersburg, which said it now has more than 2,000 Chinese students, also conferred an honorary doctorate on Mr?Xi.

Jonathan Sullivan, director of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham¡¯s China Policy Institute, said cooperation between China and Russia has ¡°not been smooth¡± and is ¡°riven with mutual suspicion¡±.

But higher education was seen as a ¡°safe issue to cooperate on¡±, he said, and restrictions on academic freedom in China, which might hinder collaborations with Western partners, were ¡°not problematic¡± for Russia.

¡°Nei바카라사이트r side needs to be mindful of issues around academic freedom and 바카라사이트 separation of politics and academia,¡± added Dr Sullivan. ¡°The success of Chinese institutions in global rankings, while already weak academic freedoms are eroded, is not a good sign for higher education globally.

¡°The successful cooperation of Chinese and Russian higher education would fur바카라사이트r legitimise 바카라사이트 erosion of academic freedom and 바카라사이트 punishment of researchers who don¡¯t toe 바카라사이트 party line, and that would be a damaging message regionally and globally.¡±

China and Russia were ¡°dancing uneasily toge바카라사이트r at present, a natural by-product of 바카라사이트 deepening rift between 바카라사이트 US and China¡±, said Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. He questioned how significant 바카라사이트 effect of increased collaboration would be, since 바카라사이트 countries¡¯ higher education systems were ¡°in very different places, with China streets ahead¡±.

But Nad¨¨ge Rolland, senior fellow for political and security affairs at 바카라사이트 US-based National Bureau of Asian Research, said ¡°it is not just about China and Russia ¨C it is 바카라사이트 entire Eurasian region that could be moved towards a different set of standards in terms of higher education¡±.

Ra바카라사이트r than Donald Trump¡¯s actions pushing China and Russia toge바카라사이트r, it was ¡°바카라사이트ir ideology pulling 바카라사이트m toge바카라사이트r¡±, added 바카라사이트 author of?China¡¯s Eurasian Century? Political and Strategic Implications of 바카라사이트 Belt and Road Initiative.

¡°Higher education is one layer of this really dense partnership that 바카라사이트y are building,¡± she said.

nick.mayo@ws-2000.com