Access to campuses sparks fierce debate

Different degrees

Ma Liang, a researcher of the National Academy of Development and Strategy at Renmin University of China, last year conducted surveys on the openness of 147 higher education institution campuses nationwide.

The evaluation by his team, published in December, showed that 52.4 percent of the surveyed institutions had to varying degrees opened their campuses to the public. The majority stated that any member of the public could enter, while a small number said they only opened their campuses to limited groups such as high school students and parents.

In January last year, many universities started announcing their gradual reopening. The number reached a peak in July, when the Ministry of Education released a circular encouraging colleges to open for public visits during the summer vacation.

Local education authorities also released policies promoting the gradual opening of campuses, which accelerated the process in places such as Shanghai and Gansu province, Ma said.

Despite these measures, only 13 percent of the universities surveyed by Ma's team, such as Hunan University, have fully opened to the public. In addition, many universities are still placing conditions on outsiders entering their campuses such as checking ID cards, reserving visiting times and placing time limits on visits.

In December, a wave of online discussion about the issue erupted when an associate professor from Peking University said in an online post that he was chased by a campus security guard after he bypassed a checkpoint to avoid a facial recognition device over privacy concerns.

The public has also been calling for further openness because of limited daily entry quotas and requirements for checking ID cards.