Unis ‘get message’ on China syndrome

Australian universities are shifting to work more closely with those in the UK and the US after receiving a ‘clear signal’ from the government.

The Group of Eight universities this week held a roundtable with UK counterpart The Russell Group to discuss deepening ties. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

Australian universities will work more closely with those in the UK and US after receiving a “clear signal” from the government to diversify and move away from Chinese research partnerships.

The Group of Eight, which includes the nation’s eight most research-intensive universities, this week held a roundtable with UK counterpart The Russell Group to discuss deepening ties.

In a letter addressed to their respective governments, the two groups announced they would form a “strategic alliance” that would include bilateral funding programs in research such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology and health.

Go8 chief executive Vicki Thompson said while universities didn’t necessarily want to “move away” from existing partnerships, they had received a clear message on working with China.

“There’s certainly a greater emphasis on working with our Five Eyes-plus partners,” she told The Weekend Australian. “The government is creating the policy framework and we’re getting the message, I’ll put it that way.”

The new strategic alliance follows the passage of legislation in December 2020 giving the government the power to veto any agreement between Australian states, councils or universities and a foreign government.

Ms Thompson said the government had created an “overlay of scrutiny” on universities working with Chinese partners. “It’s much easier to get security clearance if you’re working on sensitive areas of research if working with partners in Five Eyes countries. The Australian government has been very clear we should be diversifying our profile with … research. We’ve gotten that message and we’re doing that.”

The roundtable was launched in the wake of the AUKUS deal and UK Free Trade Agreement, which promote co-operation between the UK and Australia on commercialising new technology and defence-related science.

Ms Thompson said the Go8 aimed to “leverage” opportunities in both deals, and confirmed discussions with US counterparts were also taking place.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings said the deals presented an opportunity for Australian universities to “move away from a terrible mistake they made, which was to get too close to China”.

“What will happen increasingly is the government of the democracies will be saying to their own universities, ‘we’d like you to work only within our defence establishments and protect your intellectual property from theft’,” he said.

“You can choose the West or choose China, that’s the world.”

It comes as new figures show that of the 56,000 international students to arrive in Australia since November, only 10 per cent have come from China.

Australian National University security college head Rory Medcalf said deepening Australia-UK research collaboration was “a logical response to the new geopolitical realities”.

“Britain is following Australia’s example in waking up to the China challenges. Both countries are scrutinising China research and funding connections through a national security lens, though Australia has several years’ head start,” Professor Medcalf said. “Of course, we need to ensure both sides to any Australia-UK collaboration in sensitive research (have) in place sound mechanisms for assessing risk. This is not about a blanket exclusion of China links, but the consistent use of risk frameworks.”

Asked if the government had signalled to universities to move away from Chinese research partnerships, acting Education Minister Stuart Robert said he “welcomed” the roundtable.