Thank you for your e-mail. The University will endeavour to respond to
your request under the Freedom of Information Act within 20 working days
of receipt.

We may need to ask you certain questions to clarify your request to ensure
we fully understand what information is being requested. If so, the 20
working day deadline will be calculated once we have received such
clarification. 

The University's A-Z index can help in locating information that is
publicly available on the University's
website: [1]http://www.bristol.ac.uk/index/

Our Publication Scheme is available
at: [2]http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/s...

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) annually publish certain
data about students and higher education: [3]https://www.hesa.ac.uk/.
Bespoke datasets can be requested from
Jisc: [4]https://www.jisc.ac.uk/tailored-datasets.

For further information about the University's FOI procedure, please
see: [5]http://www.bristol.ac.uk/secretary/foi/

References

Visible links
1. http://www.bristol.ac.uk/index/
2. http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/s...
3. https://www.hesa.ac.uk/
4. https://www.jisc.ac.uk/tailored-datasets
5. http://www.bristol.ac.uk/secretary/foi/

Dear Flo Marks, 

I write in connection with your FOI request below. In order for us to
process your request some clarification is necessary.

"2. Could you please confirm whether the university management conducts
risk assessments for academic freedom prior to entering into institutional
relationships with higher education institutions in authoritarian states?
If so, please provide access to this document.

3. Could you please outline the process for beginning new, or
re-evaluating current, institutional partnerships with or receiving
funding from higher education institutions or state-linked organisations
(particularly those in authoritarian countries such as China)?"
In relation to question 2, can you explain what you mean by "institutional
relationships" and also provide a list of countries that you consider to
be authoritarian states.

 In relation to question 3, please "state-linked organisation."

Your request will be placed on hold until your clarification is received.
If your clarification is not received within the next 20 working days, we
will assume you do not wish to pursue your request and it will be closed.

Kind regards

FOI Team 

Dear Flo Marks,

Freedom of Information Request (our reference FOI23-123)

We refer to your Freedom of Information request dated 23rd March. 

You requested the following information:

“1. Could you confirm whether your university has an academic freedom code
of conduct, guideline or another formal agreement? If so, please provide
access to this document.

2. Could you please confirm whether the university management conducts
risk assessments for academic freedom prior to entering into institutional
relationships with higher education institutions in authoritarian states?
If so, please provide access to this document.

3. Could you please outline the process for beginning new, or
re-evaluating current, institutional partnerships with or receiving
funding from higher education institutions or state-linked organisations
(particularly those in authoritarian countries such as China)?

Clarification received: 

By institutional relationships I am referring to any link established by a
formal agreement between a British university and a Chinese organisation
such as a memorandum of understanding or other kinds of cooperation
agreements.

By state linked organisation I am referring to any organisation that is
controlled or funded in whole or in part by an authoritarian government.
This may include state bodies like the Hong Kong Education Bureau. This
may also include state owned enterprises or NGOs not directly administered
by the state but which receive substantial funding from it.

If it makes processing the request easier, please focus on China rather
than authoritarian states in general.”

University’s Response

Further to Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the “Act”) we
confirm that the information requested is partially held by the University
of Bristol (the “University”).

The University has the following:

(a) Freedom of speech policy [1]Freedom-of-Speech-Code-of-Practice.pdf
(bristol.ac.uk)

(b) External Speakers policy [2]External-Speaker-Policy.pdf
(bristol.ac.uk) with accompanying risk assessments as follows:

[3]event-organiser-stafforexternaluser-self-assessment-form.docx
(live.com)

[4]assessors-risk-assessment-guidance.pdf (bristol.ac.uk)

[5]assessors-summary-assessment-form.docx (live.com)

(c) we also have a specific student and staff complaints procedure
relating to complaints about free speech or academic
freedom:[6]complaints-relating-to-free-speech-and-academic-freedom.pdf
(bristol.ac.uk)

In relation to point 3, all of the University’s educational partnerships
go through a multi-layered approval process, based in the Academic Quality
and Policy Office, in Education Services and Student
Success: [7]https://www.bristol.ac.uk/academic-quali...

We also have a ‘review due diligence’ guidance on the University's due
diligence procedure and relevant documents to support
applications: [8]https://uob.sharepoint.com/sites/finance...

Internal Review Procedure

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, then you have a
right under Section 50 of the Act to request an internal review.  All such
requests must be sent to us within 40 days, and must clearly state our
reference number (at the top of this email) and your reason for requesting
an internal review.  We will aim to respond to your request for an
internal review within 20 working days of receipt.

Your request for an internal review should be sent to
[9][University of Bristol request email], quoting your FOI reference number.
Alternatively, you could post it to:

Director of Legal Services

Secretary’s Office

University of Bristol

Beacon House

Queens Road

Bristol

BS8 1QU

Information Commissioners Office

Should you remain dissatisfied with the final outcome of the internal
review then you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner (the
“ICO”) for an independent review.  The ICO is the Government’s Independent
Body responsible for overseeing the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the
Data Protection Act 2018 and The Environmental Information Regulations
2004.

Please note the ICO will only review cases that have exhausted the
University’s internal review procedure. All correspondence to the ICO must
quote the University’s reference number and your reasons for your appeal. 
The ICO’s contact details are as follows:

The Information Commissioners Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

More information can be found at the ICO’s website
at [10]http://www.ico.org.uk

Kind Regards

Freedom of Information Team

University of Bristol

References

Visible links
1. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/...
2. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/...
3. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view...
4. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/...
5. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view...
6. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/...
7. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/academic-quali...
8. https://uob.sharepoint.com/sites/finance...
9. mailto:[University of Bristol request email]
10. http://www.ico.org.uk/