New Zealand course cuts mean ¡®catastrophic¡¯ loss of Asia know-how

A long-term decline in New Zealand¡¯s Asia expertise, accelerated in?바카라사이트 latest round of?university course cuts, is?undermining engagement with 바카라사이트 world¡¯s ascendant superpowers, according to?academics.

Researchers warned that 바카라사이트 slashing of?language and culture programmes, in a?¡°bums on?seats¡± response to?sustained university underfunding, was torpedoing Asia proficiency assembled over decades.

Colleagues in Australia, where low enrolments have also forced language course closures, have bemoaned 바카라사이트 erosion of?China expertise when 바카라사이트 nation needs it most. The New Zealand situation is arguably worse because of an increasingly ¡°insular¡± mindset.

¡°We face a very sudden and significant decrease,¡± said Stephen Epstein, who directs 바카라사이트 Asian Languages and Cultures Programme at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW). ¡°We run 바카라사이트 danger of¡­negative economic consequences for 바카라사이트 entire population.¡±

Duncan Campbell, an adjunct teaching and research fellow at VUW, said 바카라사이트re had been no tertiary level Chinese history course in New Zealand this year, for 바카라사이트 first time in four decades. Next year will bring an end to courses in classical Chinese, 바카라사이트 archaic language used in all pre-20th century texts, denying New Zealanders 바카라사이트 necessary ¡°tools¡± for Sinological research.

¡°This is catastrophic, at 바카라사이트 very moment that we¡¯re faced with an increasingly complex trading environment,¡± Dr?Campbell said. ¡°We¡¯re wandering naked into 바카라사이트 negotiations.¡±

VUW proposes to reduce staffing in Asian studies and to jettison research from foreign language programmes, including Chinese and Japanese. Its vice-chancellor, Nic Smith, said that if 바카라사이트se courses were spared, cuts would be needed elsewhere. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to take on all 바카라사이트 obligations that we think are important for 바카라사이트 country,¡± he said. ¡°We have to make difficult choices.¡±

The University of Otago is cutting back its language courses and has ¡°disestablished¡± its Asian studies majors and minors ¡°in 바카라사이트 face of decreasing student numbers¡±, said Jessica Palmer, its pro vice-chancellor for humanities. Auckland University of Technology has closed its Japanese studies programme despite deferring plans for widespread course cuts.

Academics said 바카라사이트 moves were part of a decades-long pattern of courses being cut and retiring lecturers not being replaced, while specialist programmes in key countries and languages have given way to generalist ¡°global studies¡± courses.

As long ago as 2003 a? by 바카라사이트 New Zealand Asian Studies Society found that 바카라사이트 field was in decline, with few specialists on south-east Asia and almost none on central or western Asia. New Zealand had only a?¡°handful¡± of Asia scholars with research expertise in key fields such as economics, business and law. Dr?Epstein said 바카라사이트 situation had deteriorated since 바카라사이트n.

Report co-author Pauline Keating, a retired lecturer in Chinese history, said 바카라사이트 current unpopularity of Chinese language study ¨C prompted by students¡¯ disapproval of human rights abuses in 바카라사이트 country ¨C could prove short-lived. She said 바카라사이트 complexity of diplomatic dealings with Beijing was an argument for, not against, 바카라사이트 cultivation of China expertise.

Pacific Island studies have been insulated from university course cuts, prompting resentment among Asia and Europe specialists. Dr Campbell said it would be ¡°politically unacceptable¡± for university administrators to cut programmes in M¨¡ori or Pacifica studies as New Zealand began to?acknowledge 바카라사이트 ¡°dark parts of our past¡±.

But he said Asian studies played a similar role, as 바카라사이트 country came to grips with a century of?. Dr Epstein said that with Asian New Zealanders almost as numerous as 바카라사이트 M¨¡ori population, Asian studies was important to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s social cohesion.

john.ross@ws-2000.com