China intimidated UK university to ditch human rights research, documents show

Sheffield Hallam University faced a two-year campaign of pressure from China, targeting research into Uyghur Muslim abuses. Staff were threatened, websites blocked, and Chinese student enrollment plummeted. The university struggled to balance academic freedom with safety and financial concerns, leading to a controversial decision to limit research. Following public backlash, the university apologized and pledged support for academic freedom, sparking a debate about outside influence on UK universities. The Daily News Now! — Every city. Every story. AI-powered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.