Visitors walk up a set of steps in front of the Sydney Opera House in, Australia.
The organisation – which has been likened to France’s Alliance Francaise, Spain’s Instituto Cervantes and the British Council – teaches students about Chinese language and culture. Australia’s government has pressed universities to register the institutes – run by China’s ministry of education – under new laws to track foreign actors seeking to influence Australian politics and governance.
In a statement Thursday, Universities Australia said they were “giving careful attention” to the rules, introduced last year.“Our nation’s universities are looking carefully at their agreements with foreign entities to ensure they comply with the new laws,” said Chief Executive Catriona Jackson. In return, the universities received a minimum funding of A$100,000-A$150,000 upfront and 3,000 Chinese books and other materials.