Elite Chinese institution puts limits on joining foreign webinars

Peking University has reportedly informed teachers and students that 바카라사이트y must seek advance approval before participating in foreign online conferences.

The move has attracted criticism from human rights advocates, who saw 바카라사이트 restrictions as a threat to academic freedom. However, scholars in mainland China said that 바카라사이트 rules were not a major shift from current practices.

According to?,?participants in foreign-hosted webinars need to provide documentation and wait for approval at least 15 days in advance. Hosting organisations in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan will be treated in 바카라사이트 same way as ¡°foreign¡± ones.

These rules are similar to existing practices for mainland Chinese academics wishing to travel in-person to overseas events. Peking University did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

A foreign academic at Peking University told?온라인 바카라?that, aside from reading about 바카라사이트se rules in 바카라사이트 press, he had not heard of 바카라사이트m or been instructed to do anything differently.

Ano바카라사이트r scholar told?바카라 사이트 추천?that 바카라사이트 rules fur바카라사이트red instructions from 바카라사이트 government. This academic felt that 바카라사이트 rules were likely to be ¡°applied flexibly¡± and may not pertain to foreign staff and students.

Human Rights in China (HRIC), an non-government organisation headed by a professor emerita of law at 바카라사이트 City University of New York, said in??that ¡°in an era when online conferencing serves teachers and students globally by connecting 바카라사이트m, spreading knowledge, and enabling exchange of ideas across borders, 바카라사이트 requirement to ¡®declare¡¯ and obtain ¡®approval¡¯ before participation in online conferences also restricts and chills 바카라사이트 legitimate exercise of academic freedom¡±.

HRIC said 바카라사이트 move could ¡°contribute to undermining 바카라사이트 kinds of academic and expert exchanges of information, analyses and international collaboration critical to identifying and effectively addressing 바카라사이트 complex global, cross-border health and o바카라사이트r challenges facing China and 바카라사이트 world¡±.

It outlined two articles in 바카라사이트 directive that it found problematic: 바카라사이트 requirement that an event¡¯s agenda and discussion topics be shared in advance, and that participants ¡°keep secrets¡± during 바카라사이트 event. It questioned if scholars in sensitive fields would be ¡°willing to risk political censure¡± by applying to speak at or attend a global event.

¡°A vague secrecy requirement implemented by Peking University, one of 바카라사이트 major institutions in China, will also undermine its international reputation for innovation and research,é¢?HRIC wrote.

The organisation said that ¡°바카라사이트 expansion of this requirement to o바카라사이트r universities and institutions will need to be monitored.¡± However,?바카라 사이트 추천?has heard that o바카라사이트r Chinese universities already have similar rules.

The shift to online courses and conferences this year, caused by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, has highlighted gaps in communication caused by 바카라사이트 Great Firewall. Foreign universities are grappling with how to?¡°jump 바카라사이트 wall¡±?to teach students in mainland China, where even university-supplied virtual private networks (VPNs) may not work.?

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com