Page 62 - EducationWorld September 2020

International News

Chinese student dorms aren’t eligible for “foreign national
temporary residence”.
The study, published in H igher Education Research &
Development, adds that student advisers at Chinese uni-
versities often function like “nannies”, managing all mat-
ters related to their students, including reminding overseas
students when their study permits expire and contacting
them if they are missing from their dormitories overnight.
Students in China are also typically required to attend pro-
grammes or events that the university deems they will ben-
efit from. Some Chinese staff say the Western approach of
optional attendance means that students who do attend are
more engaged and the programmes themselves are more
student-centred.
The paper argues that China must transition to a new DU’s Dr. Nandini Sundar: freedom threat
model of international student education if it is to realise its
goal — as expressed by education minister Chen Baosheng as experts outside of campus.
in 2017 — of becoming the most desirable destination for One important influence on academic freedom is “the
international students by 2049. There have also been sug- political economy of teaching and learning”. “Given the
gestions that East Asia will emerge as a regional hub for increasing precaritisation of the teaching workforce (a ma-
international students in the wake of Covid-19, with China jority of appointments are now contractual), not only is it
potentially becoming a major competitor to English-speak- difficult to find the time to do research but there are also
ing countries. serious concerns about not alienating management, senior
Wei Liu, administrator of the Global Academic Leader- faculty, etc, which limit free speech,” writes Prof. Sundar.
ship Development programme at the University of Alberta Stating that about 40 percent of employees at her in-
and co-author of the paper, says there’s already an overt stitution are contractual, the report cites practices such as
government policy to better integrate international educa- public universities trying to impose certain “rules” on aca-
tion in China, but the existing model should not be rejected demics writing for the press or attending demonstrations.
entirely. “Underlying the two different models (in China and Meanwhile, some private universities require academics to
Canada) are two different cultures in student development, get clearance before publishing research, or even opinion
and the Chinese approach to student development where columns.
the university undertakes more liability for student success “The biggest threats to the academic freedom of an in-
has its advantages and should be maintained,” he says. stitution come from the appointment of poor leaders who,
by dint of inexperience, are typically over-compliant with
INDIA norms imposed from the outside while being susceptible
Academia inhibitions to pressures of an unfamiliar kind,” says the report. While
cases related to academic freedom have been successfully
A REPORT SENT TO THE UNITED NATIONS contested in India’s courts, legal challenges can be prohibi-
warns that greater precarity of academic employ- tively expensive and time-consuming for teaching staff.
ment poses a threat to academic freedom in India, Prof. Sundar links freedom of expression to the level of
with scholars on insecure contracts potentially less willing internationalisation in a higher education system. “One of
to rock the boat with critical commentary. the essential components of academic freedom is academ-
Dr. Nandini Sundar, professor of sociology at the Uni- ic exchange,” she writes. India hosted fewer than 50,000
versity of Delhi in A cademic F reedom in India: A Status foreign students in 2019, while scholars from countries
Report 2020, recommends that universities should better deemed politically unfriendly — namely China and Paki-
inform their leaders, faculty unions and students about stan — may have a hard time acquiring visas.
freedom-of-expression rights. The report also suggests that The report also outlines broader threats to academic
employment contracts should include clauses protecting ac- freedom, including an increased police presence on cam-
ademic freedom, meaning that staff “will not be penalised pus, student arrests, banned events and the communica-
for extramural activities”. tions blackout in Kashmir. It recommends that the gov-
“It is engagement with non-academics or the extramural ernment “restore and strengthen” universities’ institutional
activities of scholars which are most commonly contested, autonomy, and that global institutions include academic
and also the site where academic freedom comes closest to freedom as an indicator in rankings.
freedom of expression,” the report says. These extramural
activities could include commenting in the media or acting (Excerpted and adapted from Times Higher Education)

62 EDUCATIONWORLD SEPTEMBER 2020