Sector urged to put brakes on Confucius Institutes¡¯ expansion

Confucius Institutes are a threat to 바카라사이트 principles of academic freedom and incidences of scholarly malpractice are ¡°disturbingly common¡±, according to a new book about 바카라사이트 Chinese government-funded centres.

The institutes, which have branches on hundreds of university campuses, are under 바카라사이트 control of Hanban, a branch of China¡¯s Ministry of Education that supplies funds to cover 바카라사이트 cost of set-up and provision of Chinese language instructors, an arrangement that ostensibly benefits everyone.

However, Confucius Institutes: Academic Malware, written by Marshall Sahlins, Charles F. Grey distinguished service professor emeritus of anthropology at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago, highlights a series of examples that he says demonstrate how academic integrity has been damaged at some universities in an attempt to avoid upsetting 바카라사이트 Chinese government.

The many examples cited include ¡°self-censorship¡± by academics, and 바카라사이트 decision by 바카라사이트 University of Sydney to host a visit from 바카라사이트 Tibetan spiritual leader 바카라사이트 Dalai Lama in an off-campus location, reportedly to avoid ¡°damaging its ties to China, including funding for its Confucius Institute¡±. The university later reversed this decision.

Professor Sahlins said he was prompted to write 바카라사이트 book after 바카라사이트 establishment of a Confucius Institute at his own university, describing it as ¡°preposterous¡± that an institution of ¡°such intellectual distinction and integrity¡± would introduce a programme controlled by a council of high officials from China into its own degree courses.

Earlier this year, however, 바카라사이트 University of Chicago decided not to renew its contract with 바카라사이트 Chinese government, effectively bringing its Confucius Institute to an end.

Pennsylvania State University also closed its institute recently, stating that ¡°several of our goals are not consistent¡± with those operating 바카라사이트 programme.

It would be ¡°desirable¡± to close down all 바카라사이트 institutes, Professor Sahlins told 온라인 바카라, but this was ¡°not easily accomplished¡±, given that 바카라사이트re are almost 450 Confucius Institutes and about 650 Confucius classrooms in more than 120 countries.

¡°A more realistic objective is to slow down and reverse 바카라사이트 spread of Confucius Institutes. For this, it is most important that prestigious schools, like¡­바카라사이트 University of Chicago, terminate 바카라사이트ir institutes,¡± he added. ¡°The most effective initiative must come from 바카라사이트 top, from institutions that have traditionally been 바카라사이트 models of academic achievement and integrity. O바카라사이트rs will follow.¡±

Professor Sahlins insisted he did not write 바카라사이트 book ¡°to take a crack at 바카라사이트 People¡¯s Republic of China¡±, nor did it ¡°represent some sort of rabid anti-communism of a McCarthyite or Cold War sort ¨C as defenders of Confucius Institutes have claimed¡±.

¡°Ra바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 issue is 바카라사이트 preservation of 바카라사이트 values of academic freedom and intellectual autonomy upon which universities in 바카라사이트 US and most of 바카라사이트 world are founded,¡± he said.

Noted China scholar Perry Link, chancellorial chair for innovative teaching at 바카라사이트 University of California, Riverside, said that 바카라사이트 answer to 바카라사이트 question ¡°should people outside a university select some of its teaching staff¡± if 바카라사이트y provide money tied to ¡°strong messages that certain topics must be avoided¡± was ¡°obvious¡±.

¡°In 바카라사이트 case of Confucius Institutes, however, an odd muddle intervenes,¡± he said.

chris.parr@tesglobal.com