The growing presence of Western universities in China alongside an apparent government crackdown on the human rights community raises the issue of the universities’ corporate social responsibility. The baseline global standards on business and human rights are clearly stated in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights , which clarify the respective duties of state actors and business enterprises “regardless of their… ownership or structure.” The definition of “business enterprise” in the Guiding Principles is broad; universities fall within the definition. At the least, as places of higher learning, they should adopt a no less principled position on human rights than for-profit entities. Read more
