The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) is urging post-secondary schools to cut ties with institutions subsidized and supervised by the Chinese government.
Titled Confucius Institutes after the famous Chinese philosopher of the same name, these institutions are bodies within a university that serve to promote Chinese culture and language overseas.
Under direct jurisdiction of the Office of Chinese Language Council International—also known as Hanban—these partnerships are subsidized by the Chinese government in order to run the programs.
CAUT delegates voted unanimously at a November 2013 council meeting for Canadian universities to terminate their partnerships with Confucius Institutes and to not proceed with new relationships.
The association cited ownership and operation of these institutes “by an authoritarian government” and a duty to uphold its politics.
CAUT associate executive director David Robinson said it is inappropriate for Canadian universities to have partnerships that could potentially compromise their integrity.
“The problem is with Canadian universities that sacrifice their integrity, their faculty members’ academic freedom, and their control of academic matters by agreeing to the terms necessary to have a Confucius Institute on campus,” he said.
Hanban said Confucius Institutes have no political intentions, stating on its website a commitment “to meeting the demands of overseas Chinese learners to the utmost, to contributing to the formation of a world of cultural diversity and harmony.”
McMaster University ended its agreement with the Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), its partner institution at the end of the summer 2013 term.
McMaster declined to comment on the decision, citing its February 2013 press release announcing the end of the partnership.
“Concerns were raised that the hiring decisions in China did not reflect the normal hiring practices of the University,” the statement reads. “Numerous discussions were held with BLCU officials to consider possible solutions but a satisfactory resolution could not be found.”
McMaster’s shutdown followed that of the University of Manitoba in 2011. Other universities that have ended their partnerships include the University of British Columbia and Pennsylvania State University.
Carleton University opened the National Capital Confucius Institute for Culture, Language and Business in partnership with Confucius Institute Headquarters in the fall of 2012.
John Osborne, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, said the institute continues to thrive in its second year of operation.
“We hope to expand to non-credit courses to make this institute more accessible to members of the community,” he said.
Osborne said there are no disadvantages to the partnership.
“As long as we are in control of the program and if it’s on the terms of our university, then the partnership remains beneficial,” he said. “Other countries like Britain and France also support language training abroad—it’s just something that governments do.”
Osborne said the institute would continue preparing students for the world of the future.
“Making students more accustomed to a culture is part of soft power, but it also prepares them to become better global citizens,” he said.
The institute is aiming to include Chinese studies in undergraduate programs. Its director, Justin Li, said he has already reached out to students of international business undergraduate degrees.
“Culture is a big part of doing business and is integral to understanding who you’re trading with,” Li said. “China is the second trading partner with Canada, so they cannot be ignored.”
