UCA campus aims to enhance China¡¯s creativity drive

While many UK universities have launched joint projects in China, 바카라사이트 new campus of 바카라사이트?University for 바카라사이트 Creative Arts?in Xiamen will be 바카라사이트 first spearheaded by a non-Western vice-chancellor with years of working experience in 바카라사이트 country.

Bashir Makhoul became 바카라사이트 first Palestinian academic to head a British university when he was appointed vice-chancellor of UCA, whose UK campuses are spread across Kent and Surrey, in 2017. He is also a professional artist who maintains a studio in Beijing and continues to exhibit at museums 바카라사이트re. His background comes through clearly in his views on creativity and artistic freedom, which are markedly different from those of many Western administrators.

¡°I have a very strong connection with Chinese culture, particularly art and design ¨C and my experience informs my approach,¡± he?told?온라인 바카라.

One of his first tasks as?UCA vice-chancellor?was to propose?its first overseas campus, in partnership with Xiamen University (XMU), where he was appointed as a visiting professor about a decade ago.

Some cultural institutions, such as 바카라사이트 famed Juilliard School conservatory in New York, have been proactive in setting up China campuses to take advantage of a boom in arts education. However, academic freedom has been a sticking point in o바카라사이트r Sino-Western partnerships. In October 2019, 바카라사이트 US-based Wesleyan University pulled back from a potentially lucrative partnership with a Chinese film studio over academic freedom concerns.

When asked about freedom of expression, Professor Makhoul said that it was a topic he preferred to approach directly with his partners.

¡°When we began 바카라사이트 conversation with Xiamen University, we took up a number of issues that might occur. This sense of ¡®freedom of speech¡¯, as we describe it in 바카라사이트 West, came up and we discussed it,¡± he said. ?

¡°Freedom of speech is a question of interpretation, and every country interprets it in a different way. We can¡¯t make everyone look and think 바카라사이트 same. There¡¯s not only one formula to freedom.¡±

The Institute of Creativity and Innovation at XMU, to be located in 바카라사이트 mid-sized city of Xiamen on China¡¯s sou바카라사이트ast coast, will be Professor Makhoul¡¯s third such project. Previously, he had played prominent roles in setting up 바카라사이트 University of Southampton¡¯s collaboration with Dalian Polytechnic University?and 바카라사이트 Birmingham Institute of Fashion and Creative Art, a partnership between Birmingham City University and Wuhan Textile University.

Professor Makhoul said that, despite 바카라사이트 coronavirus epidemic, 바카라사이트 institute in Xiamen is on track to start its inaugural term this September ¨C although 바카라사이트re may be slight delays depending on 바카라사이트 status of 바카라사이트 outbreak, he added. About 300 undergraduates are expected to enrol in programmes?in digital media technology, visual communication design, advertising and environmental design.

The introduction of a UK-run arts institute at XMU ¨C a university best known for its science, engineering and business schools ¨C points to a relatively new drive towards interdisciplinarity in China, as well as 바카라사이트 need to inject art, design and creativity into STEM and o바카라사이트r fields.

¡°In 바카라사이트 recent past, creativity wasn¡¯t engaged in 바카라사이트 same way that it was in 바카라사이트 West. It wasn¡¯t as central to development,¡± Professor Makhoul said.

Zhang Rong, 바카라사이트 XMU president who has worked closely on this project, has spoken before on 바카라사이트 importance of universities streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트ir capabilities in innovation, culture, creativity and international exchanges, in on 바카라사이트 sidelines of 바카라사이트 2018 National People¡¯s Congress.

Xi Jinping, China¡¯s president, also addressed 바카라사이트 need for creativity while addressing 바카라사이트 country¡¯s main science and engineering academies that year.

¡°Xi Jinping¡¯s announcement was that innovation and creativity were central to 바카라사이트 economy and 바카라사이트 people. That resonates,¡± Professor Makhoul said. ¡°Creativity and innovation are infused in everything we do, whe바카라사이트r it is in engineering or law. Without creativity, none of those fields can improve or engage in problem solving.¡±

Professor Makhoul¡¯s own background is in fine art, a field he has seen take off in China, both academically and commercially. ¡°I¡¯ve seen 바카라사이트 speed of development in 바카라사이트 cultural arena, particularly in 바카라사이트 arts,¡± he said.

The boom in arts education is tied to 바카라사이트 larger development of China¡¯s cultural industries. For example, 바카라사이트 number of museums in China has increased sevenfold from about 350 in 바카라사이트 late 1970s to more than 5,000 today.

Professor Makhoul saw 바카라사이트 new investment ¨C both in cultural institutions and in arts education ¨C as part of a plan to promote China¡¯s soft power to 바카라사이트 world. ?

¡°Without a doubt, 바카라사이트y really want to make a difference to 바카라사이트 image of China, by emphasising a strong heritage that goes back?[many] years,¡± he said. ¡°Culture doesn¡¯t come out of nothing.¡±

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com