UK-China Transparency has published an update to our first project, Are Confucius Institutes legal? The update was produced in response to the publication on 16/05/23 of the full amended text of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, which received royal assent on 11/05/23.
From the update:
“The new Act strengthens and further defines the provisions of the Education (No 2) Act of 1986, which UKCT argued UK universities were acting in breach of, putting beyond doubt the argument that UK universities are operating Confucius Institutes illegally.
“It is a matter of fact that, once fully in force, the Act gives the [English universities’ regulator] the Office for Students and its yet-to-be-appointed Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom a clear legal responsibility to ensure English universities comply with the law and cease to operate Confucius Institutes illegally.”
UKCT has emailed the vice-chancellors and governing body members of English universities alerting them to this issue.