US and Canadian academics demand changes to Confucius Institutes
American scholars join Canadian counterparts in calling for changes at Beijing-backed centres that would enshrine academic freedom
University professors in the US have joined Canadian counterparts in urging universities to cut ties with Confucius Institutes unless the agreements that bring them to campus are re-worked to guarantee academic freedom.
A report by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) said universities "have sacrificed the integrity of the university and its academic staff" by allowing the Chinese government to supervise curriculum and staff at the institutes it has established on more than 100 North American campuses to promote Chinese culture and language.
"Allowing any third-party control of academic matters is inconsistent with principles of academic freedom, shared governance, and the institutional autonomy of colleges and universities," the report by the association's committee on academic freedom and tenure said.
The Canadian Association of University Teachers raised the same issues in December following an instructor's human-rights complaint alleging discrimination based on her belief in Falun Gong, a spiritual group that has been banned in China.
The complaint led McMaster University in Ontario to close its Confucius Institute last year after the complaint was settled through mediation.
The Beijing headquarters for the Confucius Institutes, the Office of Chinese Language Council International, known as Hanban, did not respond to requests for comment. However, the People's Daily, ran an article on Friday rejecting the AAUP report's claims, quoting foreign institutions from Germany to Thailand who called them unfounded.
When reached for comment, directors at several Confucius Institutes in the United States also defended the institutes, saying the AAUP did not understand how they worked.