FOI-09-20 

Date: 17 January 2020 

Summary: The University's involvement with Chinese State, Schools and Students 

  

FOI-09-20 

Date of Response:  

11 February 2020 

Outcome:  

Information Not Held (in part) 

Information Withheld (in part)  

 

Request:   

 

  1. The names of any Chinese schools that the university recruited, new students from for entry in the current academic year and the number of students admitted from each institutionnamed; 
  2. The amount of money the university has spent on advertising targeted at Chinese students and what form this advertising took in the previous academic year (2018/19);
  3. Whether the university hosts a Confucius Institute and details about any requests from the Confucius Institute, the Chinese embassy or other Chinese bodies to alter research or teaching on anytopic; 
  4. Details of any funding the university has received from Chinese companies or bodies since 2015; and 
  5. Details about any policies the university has in relation to avoiding Chinese state interference.

Response:  

In accordance with Section 1(1)(a) of the FOI Act, I can confirm that the University does hold the requested information in part, as some of the requested information does not exist.  

The following parts of your request do not exist:  

  

-       Question 3 

The University does not host a Confucius Institute and have not received any requests from the Confucius Institute, the Chinese Embassy or other Chinese bodies to alter research or teaching on any topic. 

  

-       Question 5.  

  

This decision has been made after all reasonable steps have been taken to locate the requested information. Whilst I acknowledge that it is the principal object of the Act to provide public access to documents, I am satisfied that the requested information for questions 3 and 5 does not exist. 

 

  

I have decided to withhold the requested information, which exists, in full in accordance with Section 43 of the FOI Act. 

The following parts of your request are exempt from disclosure in accordance with, Section 43 of the FOI Act: 

  

-       Question 1  

-       Question 2; and  

-       Question 4.  

  

  

Section 43 of the FOI Act provides that:  

  

  

(1)  Information is exempt information if it constitutes a trade secret.  

(2)  Information is exempt information if its disclosure under the Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it).