UNSW Canberra Ends Research Collaborations with China Amid Military Tensions
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra, a key academic partner for the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), has decided to stop research collaborations with Chinese universities due to rising military tensions with Beijing. This includes ending visits from Chinese academics to its Canberra campus.
An internal message sent to UNSW Canberra’s academic schools advises that the university will no longer take the lead for projects involving Chinese universities. Several postgraduate courses offered at UNSW Canberra are linked to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), including the Master of Explosive Ordnance, taught to defence staff at Australia’s new Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise.
UNSW Sydney is not affected by this decision. The university, which remains one of the ADF’s primary tertiary education providers, still offers lucrative PhD scholarships to Dongguan University in Guangdong province. Since the 1980s, UNSW has provided academic education to officer and midshipman cadets at ADFA in Canberra, as well as postgraduate programs for Defence civilians and other students.
In a statement, UNSW Canberra emphasized that any university-level collaborations with countries or institutions considered high-risk are thoroughly risk-managed through various government agencies. The university stressed its commitment to security and compliance, noting that UNSW Canberra’s unique position within the Australian Defence Force Academy necessitates stringent oversight.
Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson welcomed UNSW Canberra’s recent decision but urged the institution to further scrutinize its staff. Paterson called for the removal of any academics with ties to the Chinese government, particularly those with access to the next generation of ADF officers. He stated, “Of all our universities, UNSW’s campus at ADFA should be the most secure — it’s where our future defence force leaders are trained. No academic with ties to the Chinese government should be employed there with access to the next generation of ADF officers.”
This move follows concerns raised last year by Australian universities regarding the relaxation of defence export rules for AUKUS partner nations. The changes warned of strict new penalties for unauthorized collaborations with researchers outside the US or UK, further complicating international academic relations.
Doubts Revealed
UNSW Canberra -: UNSW Canberra is a part of the University of New South Wales located in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. It focuses on education and research, especially for the Australian Defence Force.
Research Collaborations -: Research collaborations are when two or more universities or institutions work together on scientific or academic projects.
China -: China is a large country in East Asia, known for its rich history and being one of the world’s most populous nations.
Military Tensions -: Military tensions refer to situations where countries are in conflict or disagreement, which could lead to military actions or war.
Beijing -: Beijing is the capital city of China, similar to how New Delhi is the capital of India.
UNSW Sydney -: UNSW Sydney is another part of the University of New South Wales, located in Sydney, a major city in Australia.
Shadow Home Affairs Minister -: A Shadow Home Affairs Minister is a politician who is part of the opposition party and keeps an eye on the work of the actual Home Affairs Minister.
James Paterson -: James Paterson is an Australian politician who is part of the opposition party and has a role in overseeing home affairs.
Scrutiny -: Scrutiny means carefully examining or looking into something to make sure everything is correct and safe.
Australian Defence Force -: The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organization responsible for defending Australia, similar to the Indian Armed Forces.
