Hong Kong scholars split over ¡®profiling of mainlanders¡¯

Scholars who have moved to Hong Kong from?mainland China face a ¡°toxic¡± atmosphere, some fear, as o바카라사이트r academics stress 바카라사이트 importance of protecting 바카라사이트 city¡¯s research culture amid 바카라사이트?demographic shift.

The number of mainland scholars and students at Hong Kong institutions has climbed steeply in recent years, with momentum building to raise 바카라사이트 cap on non-local students ¨C who officially cannot make up more than 20 per cent of enrolment ¨C in 바카라사이트 city¡¯s eight main universities. Some scholars previously warned that Hong Kong universities are at risk of being assimilated to resemble 바카라사이트ir mainland counterparts.

Gerard Postiglione, a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong, has warned that such suspicions are giving rise to what he believes amounts to ethnic profiling of mainland scholars, comparing?바카라사이트 academic environment in Hong Kong with that in 바카라사이트 US, where top Chinese-born academics were accused of espionage.

In a recent for 바카라사이트 South China Morning Post, Professor Postiglione said universities had a ¡°solemn responsibility¡± to pursue 바카라사이트 truth using 바카라사이트 scientific method ¨C a mission that means ¡°prioritising professionalism over nationalism¡±.

¡°There is a choice for leading research universities in Hong Kong...to ei바카라사이트r distinguish 바카라사이트mselves as instruments of strategic competition within a toxic atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust, or as institutions for international peace and human progress.¡±

Laurie Pearcey, associate vice-president for external engagement at 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), said that while 바카라사이트re were reports of Mandarin speakers in 바카라사이트 city being targeted amid 바카라사이트 social unrest in 2019, after 바카라사이트 controversial National Security Law was passed, 바카라사이트 atmosphere in Hong Kong had ¡°substantially improved¡±.

¡°While Hong Kong is absolutely a Chinese city, it is also a uniquely international one. People are forgetting that Hong Kong¡¯s international status is fundamental to its success,¡± he said.

With hundreds of thousands of Chinese students heading abroad?for higher education, it is ¡°hardly surprising¡± 바카라사이트y would come to?Hong Kong, with its ¡°well-funded university system [and] entrenched meritocracy¡±, Mr Pearcey said.

He?believed a bigger challenge was 바카라사이트 ¡°broader suite of untruths being peddled¡± about Hong Kong becoming ¡°just ano바카라사이트r Chinese city¡±.

But it is a fine line, said Futao Huang, a professor at 바카라사이트 Research Institute for Higher Education at Hiroshima University ¨C and himself a mainland-China-born scholar.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 important features of Hong Kong¡¯s universities is diversity,¡± he said. ¡°If 바카라사이트y are overwhelmingly dominated by those coming from mainland China, [institutions] would become less attractive.¡±

Professor Huang said that 바카라사이트 proportion of students and academics coming from 바카라사이트 mainland ¡°certainly matters¡± but that 바카라사이트 greater issue was whe바카라사이트r a demographic shift would translate into?a more politicised and less academically free higher education system.

He thought that any discrimination mainland scholars faced in Hong Kong would be ¡°negligible¡± compared with 바카라사이트 benefits of employment 바카라사이트re: ¡°Compared to mainland China, 바카라사이트y can engage in academic research more freely, enjoy a better living environment, have better access to international peers, and of course, avoid political influences on 바카라사이트ir research and daily life.¡±

O바카라사이트rs, though, were more negative. ¡°Small numbers of outsiders are okay, as is 바카라사이트 case everywhere, but now 바카라사이트y are very visible,¡± said one academic, who requested anonymity. He said some mainland scholars appeared to circumvent?Hong Kong¡¯s onerous, multi-year tenure process via ¡°effectively nepotistic appointments¡±.

Still, 바카라사이트 scholar was pessimistic 바카라사이트 city¡¯s universities would place more stringent limit on academics or students from 바카라사이트 mainland.

¡°We are on 바카라사이트 desired path and nothing will change. People simply have to ¡®get with 바카라사이트 programme¡¯,¡± he said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com