UQ chancellor accuses Liberal senator of endorsing conspiracy theories

Parliament’s joint intelligence and security committee is looking at foreign interference in Australian universities following alarm about local academics being recruited to Chinese research programs, as well as efforts by Beijing to infiltrate campuses and intimidate students and lecturers over issues such as Hong Kong or Taiwan.

Mr Pavlou attracted international attention following a pro-Hong Kong protest at the university in July 2019. Mr Pavlou, who organised the protest, became a vocal critic of the university’s then Vice-Chancellor, Peter Hoj, as being beholden to Beijing. Mr Pavlou was labelled “the most famous undergraduate in the world” as his increasingly vitriolic criticism of the university and his subsequent expulsion attracted media attention.

In his submission to the parliamentary inquiry, Mr Pavlou wrote that the financial dependence on China as a source of international students “threatens the ability of the university to safeguard principles like academic freedom and the independence of course content”.

He also pointed to the fact that Senator Paterson had used leaked documents to reveal in Parliament last May that Professor Hoj had received a $200,000 bonus.

But Mr Varghese disputed Mr Pavlou’s version of events saying that neither he or the vice-chancellor were “rewarded for our efforts to the tune of several million dollars”. He also said neither he or Professor Hoj were involved in Mr Pavlou’s disciplinary process until it came to the university’s Senate and had only read about about the misconduct charges in the media.

“Nine of the 11 charges were dismissed and the penalty was radically reduced from two years to one semester. If this were in fact a kangaroo court it must be one of the rare occasions where it dismissed most of the charges,” Mr Varghese said.

He went on to say that “we find ourselves in the rather unfortunate position where, what the university says on this issue … is clearly not believed”.

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