Dear Flo
Thank you for your request for information from the University of
Sheffield. From consultation with colleagues in departments we felt most
likely to hold the information requested, we can confirm that the
University holds a small part of the information you have asked for.
Please see our response below.
Could you confirm whether your university has any formal guidelines for
ensuring the safety of students from surveillance or coercion from those
acting on behalf of foreign governments (for example, safety from
surveillance, blackmail, forced pledges of loyalty and being reported on
by fellow students)? If so, please provide access to this document.
No information held.
We are especially interested in two particular examples of transnational
repression of Chinese students that have been reported on in the media:
1) Has your organisation evaluated the possible risk posed by Chinese
Student and Scholar Associations given evidence that they have surveilled
other students, organised counter protestors and acted upon orders from
the Chinese Embassy?
Examples:
[1]https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/06/30/th...
[2]https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019...
No information held.

2) Are you aware of how many international students are receiving funding
from the Chinese Scholarship Council stream? The CSC is part of the
Chinese education ministry and organises foreign exchange programmes and
international studies for Chinese students.
Fewer than 10 students currently registered with the University have
indicated that they are funded by the Chinese Scholarship Council.
Have you investigated the possible risk posed to students involved with
this programme given recent evidence that agreements students sign include
pledges of loyalty to the party state and threaten students’ parents with
debt if they fail to complete their studies?
Details: [3]https://thepienews.com/news/chinese-stud...
No information held.
Has your institution ever had to deal with a case where a student was put
at risk of transnational repression and can you provide details of how
your institution dealt with this situation? Feel free to keep the identity
of the student anonymous.
No information held.
If you are not satisfied with the University's response to your FOI
request, please see details of our internal review process [4]here,
including details of how to contact the Information Commissioner's Office
for an independent review.
Best wishes
Elspeth
--
Elspeth Summerfield
Assistant Data Protection Officer
University Secretary's Office
The University of Sheffield
First Floor
Arts Tower
12 Bolsover Street
Sheffield
S3 7NA
Web: [5]https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/uso
On Thu, 2 Mar 2023 at 10:26, Flo Marks <[6][FOI #955942 email]> wrote:

Dear University of Sheffield,

Could you confirm whether your university has any formal guidelines for
ensuring the safety of students from surveillance or coercion from those
acting on behalf of foreign governments (for example, safety from
surveillance, blackmail, forced pledges of loyalty and being reported on
by fellow students)? If so, please provide access to this document.

We are especially interested in two particular examples of transnational
repression of Chinese students that have been reported on in the media:

1) Has your organisation evaluated the possible risk posed by Chinese
Student and Scholar Associations given evidence that they have
surveilled other students, organised counter protestors and acted upon
orders from the Chinese Embassy?
Examples:
[7]https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/06/30/th...
[8]https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019...

2) Are you aware of how many international students are receiving
funding from the Chinese Scholarship Council stream? The CSC is part of
the Chinese education ministry and organises foreign exchange programmes
and international studies for Chinese students.
Have you investigated the possible risk posed to students involved with
this programme given recent evidence that agreements students sign
include pledges of loyalty to the party state and threaten students’
parents with debt if they fail to complete their studies?
Details:
[9]https://thepienews.com/news/chinese-stud...

Has your institution ever had to deal with a case where a student was
put at risk of transnational repression and can you provide details of
how your institution dealt with this situation? Feel free to keep the
identity of the student anonymous.

Yours faithfully,

Flo Marks

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[10][FOI #955942 email]

Is [11][University of Sheffield request email] the wrong address for
Freedom of Information requests to University of Sheffield? If so,
please contact us using this form:
[12]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[13]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[14]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
[15]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses
will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/06/30/th...
2. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019...
3. https://thepienews.com/news/chinese-stud...
4. https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/foi/request
5. https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/uso
6. mailto:[foi%20#955942%20email]
7. https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/06/30/th...
8. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019...
9. https://thepienews.com/news/chinese-stud...
10. mailto:[foi%20#955942%20email]
11. mailto:[university%20of%20sheffield%20request%20email]
12. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...
13. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
14. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
15. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...