Seems that Chinese influence is everywhere

It would seem that the CCP knows no bounds as to wanting control everything that they think relates to the Chinese sphere of influence.

Here they seem to be controlling the University of Queensland and even a disciplinary hearing over a students actions objecting to what China is involved in.


6/5/2020

The University of Queensland is going to extraordinary lengths to silence its most effective critic, a 20-year-old philosophy student who has campaigned against the university’s tight links with the Chinese Communist Party.

Drew Pavlou came to public attention in July last year when, while leading a protest in support of Hong Kong democracy activists, he was assaulted by men who gave every impression of being heavies working for the Chinese state.

He then was targeted by a torrent of online hate and death threats from patriotic Chinese students. China’s consul-general in Brisbane, Xu Jie, praised the violence, drawing a rebuke from Foreign Minister Marise Payne. Pavlou decided to seek a protection order against the consul-general through the courts.

NoCookies | The Australian

20/5/202

University of Queensland student Drew Pavlou is facing expulsion after criticising the institution's links with China.

Student activist Drew Pavlou says he will fight the University of Queensland's attempts to expel him all the way to the Supreme Court, after walking out of a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday.

UQ has threatened to expel Mr Pavlou over misconduct allegations he claims are motivated by his anti-Chinese Communist Party activities on campus.

“He sought access to documents, the existence of which is not denied, that show positively that on the very day that he was beaten and bashed by pro-Beijing activists, the vice-chancellor of this institution was liaising with the Chinese consulate-general as to how they should manage their public relations response to that incident.

Student activist walks out of University of Queensland disciplinary hearing claiming China influence

University of Queensland student facing possible expulsion walks out of hearing

 

A light need to be shone on all of this, there are many bought and paid for fifth columnists in our midst who would happily sell our long term interests us down the river for filthy lucre and a pat on the head... Chief among them a former politician with a penchant for bushwalking and US Civil War history.

 

Wow. Universities must be completely free from Corporate and Government influences. We need independent thinkers and people to agitate for change in society and if we don't encourage people to speak up or there's pressure to make subjects taboo in our universities then we as a nation are screwed.

How could this have happened?

 

Many universities have grown bloated and lazy on “easy” Chinese money. A degree from an Australian university is seen as a way to achieve Australian residency, hence the strong demand.

Many local students complain of being forced to do group assignments with foreign students who can barely speak English, let alone make any contribution to the assignment, yet still get credited with the group mark.

 

Last couple of times we had to do a uni group assignment we had to rate our fellow group members on their contributions so your individual marks could go up or down. We couldn't see what the outcomes of all that was though.

In my very last uni assignment, there was 3 of us who worked well and a 4th member who really dragged the chain and whose work I thought as substandard and not timely. Made that known.

 

worth a watch if you haven't seen it already

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/four-corners/series/2019/video/NC1903H013S00

 

I take it that Drew's bucket list does not include a tour of The Great Wall.

 

If it does, it's probably gonna be an extended one...

 

He will be forced to see three great walls... May be four

 

I was at uni around year 2000. Funding to universities have been slowly reducing since then. Unis are forced to make their own money, which made them highly depend on overseas students.
Many universities are struggling now without overseas income for two semesters.

 

On the bright side, for those who partake in such pursuits, the entry in an arts degree might be easier, and price of certain green vegetable matter might be cheaper.

 

Some of the degrees are a joke as well. When Hubby did his degree, they had to do group work, and a couple of them had limited language skills. One got Hubby to check his work before handing it in & he fixed up grammer & spelling mistakes, but not the content of the work, which, apparently was not very good. Both the foreign students got high distinctions for substandard work & the Aussies much lower marks.

 

How many Chinese graduates find work in the field they have studied after graduation? I have a Chinese neighbour who graduated with an Electrical Engineering degree and can barely speak English ... automatic road to residency should be abolished ...

 

I presume direct funding has being reducing. However I presume HECS has been increasing over the years which is indirect funding to the Unis.
But yes, without the Chinese funding, some are certainly struggling.

 

you should see the new buildings of UTS and Sydney Uni. An impessive property portolio thanks to the Chinese. One guy has paid for a building at each uni, Dr Chau Chak.

 

Listening this morning that Ballarat Uni (not sure it's actual name) had 50% foreign students - as do many of the rural unis. The Rockhampton Uni is looking at shedding over 100 jobs ... and I keep getting emails from Charles Sturt (Orange) encouraging my daughter to "early register" (she's going to Newcastle Uni)

 

New measures
PM announces tough new measures to stop foreigners buying our land and assets | Daily Mail Online

 

I'm back at UTS doing another post grad. 20 out of 24 in my class were Chinese. They are pretty smart kids. No issues there.

Just went to the letter box and have a letter from UTS asking for donations - yikes!

 

There were barely any foreign students in my Electrical Engineering year at UQ in the 1980s. I wonder how many Australians have lost access to university because of positions sold overseas. Or have the increased funds enabled local access to be kept stable ?