2019-07-26
Australian Greens Senator and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has commented on the revelations that Australian universities have been signing agreements with Confucius Institutes that could limit academic freedom and autonomy. Senator Faruqi is a former academic with the University of New South Wales.
Senator Faruqi said:
“It is completely outrageous for universities to be making agreements with any institution that would seek to influence and limit academic freedom and autonomy.
"Whether it be the Ramsay Centre or the Confucius Institutes, there is a worrying trend of universities accepting money from organisations seeking to influence their curriculum and programs. At the end of the day we must oppose the corrosive influence of money that seeks to ideologically control or influence universities.
“The rapid corporatisation of our universities is undermining freedom and independence of thought,” she concluded.