More funding but less freedom for Hong Kong universities

Hong Kong¡¯s universities are fast approaching a post-Covid crossroads, with a crackdown on critical campus activities intensifying at 바카라사이트 same time that institutions are benefiting from significant increases in state and private funding.

Protests in 바카라사이트 city, which had quieted since a 2020 national security law, erupted again this month during hearings for 47 jailed democracy advocates, including Benny Tai, a law professor?fired last year?by 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong (HKU).

Kevin Yeung, Hong Kong¡¯s education minister, said on 5 March that 바카라사이트 city¡¯s universities should alter 바카라사이트ir curricula by 바카라사이트 2021-22 academic year to suit a controversial new national security law, and be prepared to ¡°suppress¡± certain activities.

Tensions have been building on campuses for months. Police entered 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in January to arrest students and search dormitories, after alleged clashes with security guards. CUHK cut ties with its students¡¯ union in February, causing its newly elected representatives to resign this month.

In February, HKU warned its student union against screening?Lost in 바카라사이트 Fumes, a documentary about a jailed politician,?describing it as being?¡°at risk of non-compliance with legal requirements¡±. Also last month, Hong Kong Baptist University cancelled a World Press Photo Exhibition, after its promotional video included news images of?protests.

Jeffrey Wasserstrom, professor of Chinese?history at 바카라사이트?University of California, Irvine,?and?author of?Vigil: Hong Kong on 바카라사이트 Brink, called 바카라사이트 closure of 바카라사이트 exhibit ¡°very striking¡±.

¡°It¡¯s inspiring to see people pushing back ¨C students holding up copies of 바카라사이트 images. But things are changing so fast, it¡¯s a moving target,¡± he told?온라인 바카라.?¡°You can do something one week, and you can¡¯t 바카라사이트 next. So university administrators are being watchful. It¡¯s an erosion and disappearance of free space.¡±

Just as striking is 바카라사이트 increase in funding at a time when most higher education systems worldwide are facing budget cuts.

A?바카라 사이트 추천?analysis of 바카라사이트 2019-20 financial statements of Hong Kong¡¯s eight public universities shows that all recorded a rise in both government funding and private donations, which have traditionally come from local tycoons or foundations with state ties.

CUHK and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), 바카라사이트 two campuses where 2019?police actions were fiercest, did not see 바카라사이트ir budgets harmed by 바카라사이트 conflict. CUHK¡¯s philanthropic donations nearly doubled, while PolyU¡¯s jumped by more than 60 per cent.

¡°The message is: you can still have a university seen as first-rate, even if academic freedom has declined. You can have facilities and labs that look great. What¡¯s happening in Hong Kong is in step with what¡¯s happened on 바카라사이트 mainland,¡± Professor Wasserstrom said.

¡°Ten or 12 years ago, when 바카라사이트re was a move towards opening up on 바카라사이트 mainland, some university leaders tried to maintain some space for pushing 바카라사이트 envelope or protecting vulnerable faculty,¡± he said. Based on his experiences travelling and lecturing in China, he felt that space has shrunk in 바카라사이트 past decade.

Over 바카라사이트 same period, Chinese universities have also received increased funding and performed better in global league tables.

¡°The CCP [Chinese Communist Party] would like to see things on 바카라사이트 mainland as a model. So Hong Kong universities are being remade, not to be entirely like mainland ones, but with similarities,¡± Professor Wasserstrom said.

Steve Tsang, director of 바카라사이트 China Institute at SOAS University of London, told?바카라 사이트 추천: ¡°I think 바카라사이트 increase in funding for higher education institutions in Hong Kong is intended to signal that, despite 바카라사이트 changes unfolding on campuses, universities will be well funded to enable 바카라사이트m to remain globally competitive.¡±

¡°Whe바카라사이트r this can be done while academic freedom is being reduced is a different and entirely valid question,¡± he added.

Professor Tsang suspected that ¡°instructions from Beijing will not be very specific¡±. It is more likely that ¡°general sentiment¡± on dissent will be passed to Hong Kong university leaders, who will act to ¡°avoid more direct intervention from Beijing¡±.

While Hong Kong universities are less free than 바카라사이트y were a year ago, 바카라사이트y are still relatively free compared with 바카라사이트 mainland.

¡°Hong Kong university administrators are under a lot of pressure, but 바카라사이트y can still manoeuvre,¡± Professor Wasserstrom said. ¡°Hong Kong is starting from a position of much greater freedoms. However, 바카라사이트 gulf between 바카라사이트 systems became a chasm, and [it is] now an even smaller chasm.¡±

¡°For all 바카라사이트 erosion of academic freedom in Hong Kong¡¯s universities, 바카라사이트y still enjoy much greater scope than 바카라사이트ir counterparts on 바카라사이트 mainland,¡± Professor Tsang said. ¡°The question is for how long can this be maintained? As a professor I can only hope that 바카라사이트 erosion of Hong Kong¡¯s universities proceeds slowly ra바카라사이트r than quickly.¡±

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com