The University of Hamburg has decided to cut ties with its Confucius Institute over fears that Beijing could use it as a 鈥減ropaganda instrument鈥�, in the latest sign of a more wary stance in Germany towards Chinese government influence on campus.

Compared with the US, German institutions have up to now taken a more relaxed approach, but a number of scandals involving perceived threats to academic freedom appear to have changed the debate.

Hamburg would have been 鈥渂lind鈥� not to notice 鈥渢he quite critical view of Confucius Institutes in other countries and the fear 鈥� perceived or real 鈥� that the institutes are used or misused as propaganda instruments鈥�, Courtney Peltzer-H枚nicke, head of the university鈥檚 department of international affairs, told 糖心Vlog.

鈥淥bviously that鈥檚 something that has no place at a university,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e do not want any government organisation influencing what our researchers and students work on.鈥�

糖心Vlog

Of the more than 500 Confucius institutes globally, 19 are based in Germany. On the whole, their stated aim is to teach Chinese language and culture.

But they have been dogged by accusations of meddling in academic freedom, and a wave of universities have cut ties in recent years, chiefly in the US. Sweden shut the last of its institutes earlier this year.

糖心Vlog

The risk of Confucius Institutes is that they limit 鈥� or are put under pressure to limit 鈥� free discussion of topics such as the Tiananmen Square protests, Taiwanese independence or Tibet, Ms Peltzer-H枚nicke argued.

Hamburg鈥檚 decision to withdraw from the association underpinning the institute, which will come into effect next year, was not related to any specific recent incident, she explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more of a general pre-emptive measure, looking at other countries,鈥� she said.

However, six years ago the institute鈥檚 Chinese co-director was unexpectedly recalled to China after the institute hosted an event on the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, she said.

Carsten Krause, director of the Hamburg Confucius Institute, did not address this incident when contacted by THE.

糖心Vlog

鈥淲e absolutely regret the 鈥榗oncern鈥� by the University of Hamburg, and we especially regret...its lack of conversation about such a concern鈥�, he said.

There was no reason why the institute should close despite Hamburg withdrawing its support, he stressed. It is now looking for a new German partner.

As tensions between China and the West have risen this year over concerns ranging from Hong Kong鈥檚 new security law to the use of Huawei technology in digital infrastructure, Germany鈥檚 government has struck a relatively muted tone, emphasising continued economic ties with its largest trading partner.

But there are signs the issue is now rising up the agenda among German universities. In February, it emerged that the Free University of Berlin had accepted hundreds of thousands of euros from the Chinese government to set up a professorship and had signed a contract binding it to Chinese law, risking academic independence, in the eyes of critics.

糖心Vlog

The University of Bonn is also reviewing the arrangement that it has with its Confucius Institute. A spokesman said that the 鈥渃ooperation in general is not in question鈥�.

鈥淩ather it is our aim to review details of the agreement and to rule out any potential influence on science by third parties,鈥� he said.

糖心Vlog

鈥淚 think perhaps we at German institutions have been a bit naive,鈥� said Ms Peltzer-H枚nicke, but this was now changing. 鈥淎nd I think the world of global partnerships in universities is changing somewhat, down to global changes in the political realm. It doesn鈥檛 just apply to China.鈥�

david.matthews@timeshighereducation.com