Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on the acceptance of large donations by University colleges from foreign billionaires closely linked with regimes with poor human rights records; how that policy would apply to the proposed acceptance by Linacre College, Oxford of £155 million from a billionaire based in Vietnam, with close links to the Vietnamese government; and what recommendation his Department will make to the Privy Council on whether Linacre College should be permitted to rename itself after the Chairwoman of the company making the donation as a condition of receiving the money. [124938]
[Due for Answer on 23 February]
ANSWER
The Minister for Further and Higher Education (Michelle Donelan): The security guidelines, commissioned at my request and published by Universities UK in October 2020, entitled ‘Managing risks in internationalisation: security-related issues’, advise universities on engaging in secure international collaborations. This includes a recommendation that due diligence should be conducted on all international partnerships, including donations. Universities due diligence processes should consider reputational, ethical and security risks. As autonomous institutions, universities will have their own fundraising and gift acceptance policies in place.
In line with the offer that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office extends to all organisations and businesses looking to work with Vietnamese entities, Linacre College and the University of Oxford have received background information, at their request, on working with Vietnamese entities.
If the Privy Council asks the department for advice, we will consider the case based on the facts before us.
As my right hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has recently stated, we intend to further explore the issues raised in the proposed Report Stage amendment to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, seeking to introduce transparency and public reporting of foreign donations to universities.