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Hong Kong national security law
Hong KongEducation

National security law: Hong Kong lecturers review university syllabuses, move to protect student freedoms for start of academic year under new legislation

  • Beijing-decreed legislation casts long shadow over the start of new academic year for Hong Kong’s eight publicly funded universities
  • Academics review course material but remain hopeful teaching will continue as before, free of self-censorship and still touching on controversial themes

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Students will return to university studies with the national security law now in force. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Chan Ho-himandJeffie Lam
Academics at Hong Kong’s universities have reviewed their syllabuses and stopped recording student discussions in lessons to protect the free exchange of ideas, as the new academic year begins under the shadow of the national security law.

But staff from five higher education institutions who spoke to the Post said they still hoped teaching could continue as before, without exercising self-censorship, or avoiding controversial themes relating to Hong Kong politics and mainland China.

Students also revealed they might be more cautious about speaking during class, so they did not run the risk of breaching the Beijing-decreed legislation, which took effect in Hong Kong on June 30.
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No guidelines on the law have been issued so far from at least five city institutions, although Chinese University is believed to have asked departments whether their courses included elements of educating students about national security, a requirement of the new law.

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What you should know about China's new national security law for Hong Kong

What you should know about China's new national security law for Hong Kong

The other publicly funded institutions whose scholars talked to the Post were University of Hong Kong (HKU), City University, Polytechnic University and Lingnan University.

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The sweeping legislation targets acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security.
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