Yale University chief stakes support for international students amid China-US academic visa turmoil
- Peter Salovey urges US authorities to clarify any concerns about scholarly exchanges, saying unease is growing among students and researchers
The head of one of the US’ leading universities has sought to reassure all international students and academics at the school, offering a “steadfast commitment” to them as tensions rise between the United States and China.
In an open letter to Yale University’s 5,500 international students and academics on Thursday, university president Peter Salovey said he had been working with heads of the 62-member Association of American Universities in the US and Canada to urge federal agencies to clarify “concerns they have about international academic exchanges”.
“In recent weeks, tensions in United States – China relations and increased scrutiny of academic exchanges have added to a sense of unease among many international students and scholars here at Yale and at universities across the country,” Salovey said.
Republicans in the US Congress have also introduced a bill to prohibit anyone employed or sponsored by the Chinese military from receiving student or research visas to the United States.
In addition, at least 100 Chinese students – including one ranked among the 10 most influential scientists by British scientific journal Nature – have encountered delays in visas to the US. The US also denied the 10-year visas of a number of leading Chinese experts over allegations that they were spying for Chinese intelligence agencies.
