European universities have become increasingly international over the last decade, fostering relationships with researchers, institutions, private companies, and students around the world. While academic internationalisation provides many opportunities, it also presents challenges.
“European academia must recognise that vulnerability to authoritarian and illiberal interference is an undeniable reality in the contemporary context of globalised knowledge production,” the European Commission said in a working document published last year. “Risks encountered in this context crystallise as threats to the principles of academic freedom and integrity.”
The Commission didn’t single out threats from any one country, but its document was published amid heightened concerns about interference from China.
This report asks to what extent Chinese money is being used to fund European universities and to what extent is it eroding academic freedom in the process. The report looks at funding from Chinese companies, Chinese international students, and the protections the EU and UK have in place to prevent undue interference. You can download the report here or view it online using the reader below:
