Chinese entities are pursuing a number of strategies in order to expand educational opportunity. One approach has been to purchase existing U.S. institutions. The purchase of Westminster Choir College is one of the more recent, now being challenged through legal action of alumni, donors, and faculty.
Various tensions are evident in this and other examples of Chinese purchase of educational institutions. One tension driving the concerns of those employed by these institutions is survival; a possible outcome of not being purchased is that Westminster could cease to exist. But this prospect is one faculty/staff may be willing to face because of fear that academic freedom will be curtailed if the institution is owned by a Chinese entity.
Larry Livingston, interim President of the Westminster Choir College Acquisition Corporation, counters arguments that Westminster's character and academic freedom could be compromised saying, "I am excited about the opportunities this new relationship will create. There is no back story here. Kaiwen Education (the purchasing entity) deeply respects Westminster Choir College and is willing to help the school become even better, and more financially secure. It is in Kaiwen Education's interest for Westminster to remain the high-quality institution that it has been throughout its vaunted history, and for it to succeed."
Suspicion about China's involvement in U.S. institutions has been rising due to reports of theft of intellectual property. However, sweeping all partnerships into one category is likely a mistake. What many faculty/staff in U.S. institutions don't realize is that there are already many partnerships where foreign entities (including governmental) own parts of U.S. institutions. U.S. branch university programs are a prime example where governments are often the ultimate financial provider and owner of the facilities and operations taking place on foreign soil; in these cases the contractual agreement drives the critical aspects of academic freedom, independence in hiring decisions, granting of degrees, etc.
The Kaiwen Education purchase of Westminster Choir College may be one of the more interesting cases to follow. Westminster is a noted training institution of musicians for evangelical Christian churches. An agreement to maintain Westminster's current focus as an institution would then require ownership of an institution that actively evangelizes through its preparation of musicians, an interesting dynamic for a Chinese entity to maintain.
Various tensions are evident in this and other examples of Chinese purchase of educational institutions. One tension driving the concerns of those employed by these institutions is survival; a possible outcome of not being purchased is that Westminster could cease to exist. But this prospect is one faculty/staff may be willing to face because of fear that academic freedom will be curtailed if the institution is owned by a Chinese entity.
Larry Livingston, interim President of the Westminster Choir College Acquisition Corporation, counters arguments that Westminster's character and academic freedom could be compromised saying, "I am excited about the opportunities this new relationship will create. There is no back story here. Kaiwen Education (the purchasing entity) deeply respects Westminster Choir College and is willing to help the school become even better, and more financially secure. It is in Kaiwen Education's interest for Westminster to remain the high-quality institution that it has been throughout its vaunted history, and for it to succeed."
Suspicion about China's involvement in U.S. institutions has been rising due to reports of theft of intellectual property. However, sweeping all partnerships into one category is likely a mistake. What many faculty/staff in U.S. institutions don't realize is that there are already many partnerships where foreign entities (including governmental) own parts of U.S. institutions. U.S. branch university programs are a prime example where governments are often the ultimate financial provider and owner of the facilities and operations taking place on foreign soil; in these cases the contractual agreement drives the critical aspects of academic freedom, independence in hiring decisions, granting of degrees, etc.
The Kaiwen Education purchase of Westminster Choir College may be one of the more interesting cases to follow. Westminster is a noted training institution of musicians for evangelical Christian churches. An agreement to maintain Westminster's current focus as an institution would then require ownership of an institution that actively evangelizes through its preparation of musicians, an interesting dynamic for a Chinese entity to maintain.
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