UCL bans lecturer from China course to protect its “commercial interests” – The Free Speech Union
www.telegraph.co.uk
The FSU has intervened after our member, UCL academic Michelle Shipworth, was banned from teaching her own course following a complaint by a Chinese student that a seminar discussion of modern slavery in China was too "provocative".

As first reported in the Telegraph, FSU member and University College London (UCL) academic Michelle Shipworth has been banned from teaching her own course, after a Chinese student complained that discussing modern slavery in China was too “provocative”. Incredibly, UCL sided with students who said they were “distressed” by her handling of the topic, and imposed a raft of restrictions on Michelle in order to ensure their courses remained “commercially viable” to Chinese students.

Michelle Shipworth is an Associate Professor at UCL’s Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, and has taught at the institution since 2009.

Michelle found herself under investigation after a seminar last October examining data from the Global Slavery Index 2014. The seminar forms part of her ‘Data Detectives’ training module, and is designed to prepare students for an assignment which external examiners have described as “particularly innovative” and “excellent”, and her Faculty’s teaching lead has previously stated is worthy of a teaching award.

  • ebikefolder@feddit.deEnglish
    264·
    4 months ago

    A student was distressed? Oh, poor little creature. Has to be handled with care, wrapped in cotton wool?

    Grow up, student!

    • Quittenbrot@feddit.deEnglish
      442·
      4 months ago

      A complaining spoiled kid shielded from the truth is only the minor problem here. Her own university siding with this kid and putting commercial interest above academic freedom and accuracy in this spineless appeasing move is what makes me speechless.

      • ebikefolder@feddit.deEnglish
        12·
        4 months ago

        True. Commercial interests should not have any place, in any university, in any shape and form.

      • Spike@feddit.deEnglish
        310·
        4 months ago

        I think older people - no offense - have no idea what a university is nowadays.

        • ebikefolder@feddit.deEnglish
          4·
          4 months ago

          It’s about 40 years since I left university, and I’m afraid I do have a slight idea. And I don’t like it. At all.

          • Spike@feddit.deEnglish
            61·
            4 months ago

            If you know, you know. For all the others: It is not about academic virtues and studying and the pursuit of knowledge. It is about getting you ready for the job market and passing tests.

            More so than 40 years ago, or even 20. In Germany, it is 25 years to be exact.

    • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      41·
      4 months ago

      I spent a good 50% of my education distressed… I wouldn’t quite recommend my academic path to anyone else, but learning new stuff can be a little scary, that comes with the job.