Australian universities will be required to work with security agencies to combat foreign interference and survey their students about freedom of speech on … Universities' awareness of foreign interference risks will be scrutinised by a parliamentary inquiry next year. The pontiff is expected to discuss inter-faith relations on the second day of his historic trip. “Our shared aim has been to build on existing protections against foreign interference, without damaging the openness and global engagement essential to Australia’s strengths and values.” “The global collaboration of our universities is a powerful national asset – putting us at the forefront of research breakthroughs and knowledge advances that deliver benefits to Australia.” "According to the latest advice from the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the targeting of Australian universities continues to increase," Mr Tehan said on Wednesday. The guidelines help Australian universities continue to produce world-class research. By Daniel Y. Teng. Pope Francis meets powerful Shia cleric in Iraq1, John McAfee charged with fraud over cryptocurrency2, Dictionary urged to change definition of 'woman'3, Why is Harry and Meghan's interview controversial?4, World's 'oldest wild bird' has chick at age of 706, 'I would never have bought my flat if I knew'7, 'Hovering ship' photographed off Cornish coast8, US condemns China 'assault on Hong Kong democracy'9, US and EU suspend tariffs in Boeing Airbus row10. He described Drew Pavlou, a suspended University of Queensland student and anti-CCP campaigner, as “the storm-in-a-tea-cup that brought international attention to the true extent of foreign interference and control at Australian universities”. The federal government directive follows concerns about China’s influence in Australia and a 2018 cyberattack on the Australian National University (ANU), which was only revealed in June. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation has warned of "unprecedented" levels of foreign espionage and interference in Australia, and Education Minister Dan Tehan said universities … This was highlighted in recent weeks by violent clashes at a number of Australian universities between students supporting the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and mainland Chinese students defending their government. Prior to his current security role, Duncan Lewis (left) served as Australian Defence Secretary from 2011-12. "The sense that some students and staff at universities are self-censoring out of fear they will be shouted down or condemned for expressing sincerely held views and beliefs, or for challenging widely accepted ideas, should concern all of us," he said. Australian universities don't want to admit they have a problem with foreign interference with much of it going undetected, professor of public ethics Clive Hamilton says. Australia introduced new laws in 2017 that require foreign organisations to identify their state connections publicly on a government register. "The foreign interference threat is at unprecedented levels. previous reports of Chinese students aggressively disputing the curriculum in Australian classrooms. There will also be tougher requirements for universities when collaborating with foreign countries on research. VideoThree surprising things you can make with mushrooms, How a Kenyan town morphed into 'Little Italy', Pope Francis meets powerful Shia cleric in Iraq1, John McAfee charged with fraud over cryptocurrency2, World's 'oldest wild bird' has chick at age of 703, Why is Harry and Meghan's interview controversial?4, Dictionary urged to change definition of 'woman'5, US condemns China 'assault on Hong Kong democracy'6, 'Hovering ship' photographed off Cornish coast7, 'I would never have bought my flat if I knew'8, 'Liberating' to be able to speak - Meghan9, California to open outdoor attractions in April10. Accusations by the Australian government that China was attempting to meddle in its universities caused tension between the two nations. Australian universities will have to name their research partners and financial donors under new guidelines released Wednesday to safeguard against foreign interference.. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Special report: Looking for China's spies. These activities can undermine Australia’s national security, open system of government and sovereignty. 7 Universities had also increasingly been targeted by state-sponsored cyber attacks, the government said. The new code will require institutions to share cyber-intelligence with national security agencies, identify foreign research partners and disclose financial dealings with other countries. The Australian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Legislation Committee is presently considering two bills that are designed to counter foreign interference and influence. It will evolve so we've got to make sure our approach evolves with it," Education Minister Dan Tehan told reporters. Chinese students account for close to a third of international students in Australia. The Australian Government has taken significant steps to strengthen Australia’s capacity to protect us from foreign interference. VideoThe pizza place with sign language on the menu, Striking news pictures from around the world. Universities will have to name their research partners and financial donors. There has been growing concern about China's clout on campuses following a series of hacks, controversial donations and incidents of political intimidation linked to Beijing. Australia announced Wednesday that it has formed a task force to crack down on attempts by foreign governments to meddle in Australian universities. Read about our approach to external linking. He said the group would also develop safeguards to help universities protect their research and intellectual property, and to make foreign academic collaborations more "transparent". Three surprising things you can make with mushrooms. Three surprising things you can make with mushrooms. Video, Three surprising things you can make with mushrooms, The pizza place with sign language on the menu. Australian universities will have to name their research partners and financial donors under new guidelines released Wednesday to safeguard against foreign interference.. Universities have strong working relationships with Government agencies on security matters, and regularly seek advice to … the objective is to provide additional guidance on which universities can draw to assess risk in their global Foreign financial declarations will be noted on the same register that Australian lobbyists working for foreign countries use to declare themselves foreign agents. Australia is to formally investigate foreign interference in its universities amid rising concerns about Chinese influence on campuses. "We must... encourage an environment where disagreement does not involve verbal attacks or threats," Mr Tehan said on Wednesday. What happens to your body in extreme heat? VideoThree surprising things you can make with mushrooms, How a Kenyan town morphed into 'Little Italy', The plane-sized prehistoric creatures that ruled the skies, The pizza place with sign language on the menu. ... Australian universities have been home to clashes between pro … Australia’s universities want to work collaboratively with Government to enhance the existing safeguards against foreign interference in our civil society. The Australian Foreign Relations Bill aims to curb Chinese influence in the states and universities and will become law after Labor agreed to pass … The government says its University Foreign Interference Taskforce - made up of intelligence agencies, education bureaucrats and university leaders - is aimed at strengthening the cyber defences of universities. Pope Francis meets powerful Shia cleric in Iraq. Is China's network of cultural clubs pushing propaganda? They will also be encouraged to strengthen cyber-security systems and protect sensitive research. October 13, 2020 Updated: October 13, ... said Australian universities were relying too heavily on the China market This follows a series of computer hacks and controversial donations linked to Beijing. Tensions have also arisen from previous reports of Chinese students aggressively disputing the curriculum in Australian classrooms. US condemns China 'assault on Hong Kong democracy', The pizza place with sign language on the menu. Australia's higher education sector has been criticised for being heavily financially reliant on international enrolments. While the government did not name any countries on Wednesday, there have been recent concerns about China's alleged influence on campuses. Australian Universities Protest New Foreign Interference Law. Read about our approach to external linking. Just last month, the Australian National University confirmed it had been the target of a massive data hack, where the personal information of 200,000 students and staff was stolen. The pizza place with sign language on the menu. “Interference by the People’s Republic of China is rife in Australia and includes a divide-and-conquer strategy…using universities to build its ‘discourse power’,” Professor Hamilton told the committee. Australian Education Minister Dan Tehan speaks at the National Press Club in Canberra, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. Federal Government launches investigation into foreign interference at Australian universities. Released in mid-November, the Guidelines to Counter Foreign Interference In The Australian University Sector come just over two months after education minister Dan Tehan announced plans to create a Foreign Interference Taskforce to oversee the document. The University Foreign Interference Taskforce published Guidelines to Counter Foreign Interference in the Australian University Sector. Two Australian universities have also announced reviews of its research and funding collaborations, following reports its researchers may have unwittingly collaborated with a Chinese-state owned military technology company accused of human rights abuses. Beijing insists it has made no attempt to exert influence on campuses. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. gUIdelInes to coUnteR FoReIgn InteRFeRence In tHe AUstRAlIAn UnIVeRsItY sectoR 5 the taskforce focused on four strategic areas – culture and communication; foreign collaboration; research and intellectual property; and cyber security. Open Guidelines: The Foreign Interference Problem in Australian Universities by Binoy Kampmark Education has always been a political matter, whatever the apolitical advocates of it think it is. The Australian committee, called The University Foreign Interference Taskforce, will include representatives from universities, national security organizations and the education department. Why is Harry and Meghan's interview controversial? The PJCIS is due to report on the Foreign Interference Inquiry by July 2021. "Universities must act to protect the valuable information they hold where it is in the national interest to do so," Education Minister Dan Tehan said in a national address. The Australian government has formed a task force to look into foreign interference in Australian universities. Foreign interference threats are to be incorporated into existing frameworks, with necessary authorities overseeing “security risks and are responsible for risk mitigation strategies.” Universities are encouraged to do their homework on the background of research partners and their links with foreign governments. Local universities hosting Confucius Institutes - Chinese government-run bodies which offer language and cultural programmes overseas - had reportedly signed agreements which gave China decision-making authority over teaching at the facilities. Issue date: Tuesday, 8 September 2020 The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has received a letter from the Minister for Home Affairs referring an inquiry into foreign interference in Australia’s universities, publicly funded research agencies and competitive research grants agencies with a requested reporting date of July 2021. The have been reports of students and staff "self-censoring" on sensitive political issues such as the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Australian universities have been warned to remain vigilant against an “insidious threat” of foreign interference on campus, during last week’s Senate estimates hearings. The Australian government has set new guidelines for universities to combat what has been described as unprecedented levels of foreign interference. © 2021 BBC. 6 2 December 2019 The Prime Minister announced the establishment of a Counter Foreign Interference Taskforce to strengthen the Government's ability to discover, track and disrupt foreign interference in Australia. Universities Australia, a representative group, welcomed the announcement but said a "careful balance" was needed. While Wednesdays’ (28 August) announcement by the country’s Minister of Education Dan Tehan did not name a specific country, it follows the country’s growing concerns over China’s influence on its varsities.. There has been growing concern about China's influence on Australian campuses. Video, The pizza place with sign language on the menu, Three surprising things you can make with mushrooms. Concerns about the institutes also prompted the New South Wales state government last week to cancel the organisation's contracts to teach Chinese language programmes in its public schools. © 2021 BBC. Three surprising things you can make with mushrooms. Australia's Director-General of Security noted the unprecedented scale of foreign interference activity against Australia’s interests. Why is Harry and Meghan's interview controversial? Australia announced measures to combat foreign interference at its universities Thursday, setting new guidelines around the key areas of research collaboration, cybersecurity, and international partnerships. Read about our approach to external linking. It announced an intelligence taskforce on Wednesday to combat such threats. They guide decision making based on potential risks and support an environment of trust. The Guidelines to counter foreign interference in the Australian university sector (the guidelines) protect the university sector against foreign interference. He linked efforts to tackle foreign interference to "broader" efforts to protect free speech and academic freedom on campuses. 'I'm in Australia but I feel censored by Chinese students', Australia to tackle foreign interference in unis, Australia universities caught in China row. The Australian Department of Home Affairs has published important new guidelines for Australian universities seeking to collaborate with international partners. The government is investigating the role of Confucius Institutes - Chinese language and cultural centres funded by the Chinese government- which are present on many campuses but not presently registered. Video, The pizza place with sign language on the menu, John McAfee charged with fraud over cryptocurrency, Dictionary urged to change definition of 'woman', World's 'oldest wild bird' has chick at age of 70, 'I would never have bought my flat if I knew', 'Hovering ship' photographed off Cornish coast, US and EU suspend tariffs in Boeing Airbus row, 'I'm in Australia but I feel censored by Chinese students'. “Sector inclusion in its process [has been positive] rather than take the heavy-handed over-reach approach of the US” The Australian Government and the university sector are taking a stand against foreign interference with new guidelines to ensure our students and research are protected. “If certain agreements are inconsistent with or undermine Australia’s foreign policy, then they should be … Video, Three surprising things you can make with mushrooms, Pope Francis meets powerful Shia cleric in Iraq, John McAfee charged with fraud over cryptocurrency, World's 'oldest wild bird' has chick at age of 70, Dictionary urged to change definition of 'woman', 'Hovering ship' photographed off Cornish coast, 'I would never have bought my flat if I knew', 'Liberating' to be able to speak - Meghan, California to open outdoor attractions in April, the Australian government announced a taskforce, Confucius Institutes: China's controversial cultural branch, Why Australian universities have upset Chinese students. VideoThe pizza place with sign language on the menu, The mystery American woman wanted in the UK, The grit and determination of Myanmar's young rebels, Why popular YouTubers are building their own sites. In August, the Australian government announced a taskforce to investigate foreign interference in its universities amid rising concerns about Chinese influence in its institutions. The decision has been criticised as "hysteria" by Chinese state media. "We must continue to safeguard our security without undermining the invaluable asset of our openness," Chair Prof Deborah Terry said on Wednesday. US condemns China 'assault on Hong Kong democracy', The grit and determination of Myanmar's young rebels, Why popular YouTubers are building their own sites. Australia is to formally investigate foreign interference in its universities amid rising concerns about Chinese influence on campuses. There have also been violent clashes at a number of Australian universities between students over the Hong Kong protests. Pope and cleric discuss safety of Iraqi Christians. Read about our approach to external linking. The Australian government has set new guidelines for universities to combat what has been described as unprecedented levels of foreign interference. The push follows reports of students and staff "self-censoring" on sensitive political issues such as the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani holds historic talks with the Catholic leader at his home in Iraq. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.