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Human Rights - 2008
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Australian unis face offshore campus dilemma
07/11/2008
Just over a month ago, North Queensland-based James Cook University opened a brand new campus, with room to accommodate 3,000 students and all of the latest mod-cons you would expect. But this new campus was somewhat further north than Cairns or Townsville... Since 2003, James Cook University has been offering degree programs in Singapore, to full fee-paying students who want to obtain an Australian education without leaving home. It's all part of the push into Asia by Australian universities, who are competing fiercely to get their slice of the region's thriving education market. But what responsibilities do Australian universities have when they operate offshore - particularly when it comes to free speech? Last week, James Cook University suspended an academic at its Singapore campus, who is facing contempt of court charges for wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a picture of a kangaroo . The academic - John Tan Liang Joo - is arguing the university should have done more to defend his right to free speech. And his Australian colleagues agree.
