"The findings of this exploratory study lead to the conclusion that there is political influence by China in higher education and science in the Netherlands. No indications were found of influence in secondary schools that collaborate with the two Confucius Institutes in the Netherlands. The extent to which and the way in which political influence takes place in higher education varies per sector, target group and sub-activity.
Political influence mainly takes the form of (indirect) incitement to self-censorship among researchers, policy officers at universities, students, and among employees or directors of academic publishers who work with or in China. This not only concerns self-imposed restrictions with regard to free expression, but also with regard to the choice of subjects for research.
In addition, researchers and publishers are faced with censorship of publications of scientific work. Influencing also takes place when it comes to conducting scientific research about China, or in and with China, for example by limiting research possibilities.
China's political influence on higher education and science in the Netherlands has two broad consequences: it leads to an impairment of the Dutch knowledge position with regard to China, and to an impairment of the quality of research on China and of research in other areas that is (partly) carried out in or with China."
Source: d'Hooghe, I & Dekker, B. (2020), China's invloed op onderwijs in Nederland: een verkenning. Rapport Institituut Clingendael. Juni 2020.