A British university suspended research into human rights abuses in China after pressure from Beijing, leading to the cancellation of a major project, the Guardian has revealed.
In February, Sheffield Hallam University ordered Professor Laura Murphy, a leading academic at its Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice (HKC), to halt all work related to supply chains and forced labour in China.
Murphy’s research focused on the persecution of Uyghur Muslims and the use of forced labour in Chinese industries. Her findings have been widely cited by Western governments, the United Nations, and global corporations working to remove forced labour from supply chains.
University ‘traded academic freedom for access to Chinese students’
Murphy said she was told her work was being stopped due to “administrative reasons”, but later discovered evidence suggesting commercial concerns were at play.
“The university was trading my academic freedom for access to the Chinese student market,” she said. “It was really shocking.”
Sheffield Hallam denies that the decision was commercially motivated. However, emails seen by The Guardian suggest the university feared its work on China was damaging student recruitment after its websites were blocked in China and staff were threatened by Chinese security officials.
Forced labour research pulled and funding returned
The university’s decision followed the earlier cancellation of a planned report on Uyghur forced labour in the critical minerals supply chain. The project was to be funded by Global Rights Compliance (GRC), a human rights law organisation, but Sheffield Hallam returned the grant after the Chinese government expressed disapproval.
GRC later published the research independently, with its head of business and human rights, Lara Strangways, saying: “It’s a problem that Sheffield Hallam no longer published this work. Questions were always going to be raised about why.”
Legal and insurance fears cited for research halt
Sheffield Hallam said its decision was based on “complex circumstances,” including an ongoing defamation lawsuit from a Chinese company and the loss of professional indemnity insurance. It also cited safety concerns for staff in China.
However, freedom of speech lawyers have criticised the move. James Murray, a solicitor specialising in academic freedom, called it “a serious threat to academic independence” and said banning research over perceived legal risks was “pernicious and excessive.”
The university later lifted the ban in October and issued an apology to Murphy. “We have since approved Professor Murphy’s latest research and remain committed to supporting her work and upholding academic freedom,” a spokesperson said.
China’s pressure on UK universities grows
The case highlights growing concerns over Chinese influence on British higher education. Sheffield Hallam’s Beijing office was visited by state security officers in April 2024, where an employee was reportedly threatened and told to stop the research.
Following that encounter, university officials wrote internally that relations with China “improved” after agreeing not to publish further studies on forced labour.
The Office for Students, the higher education regulator, said: “Suppression of research because of the disapproval of a foreign government is unacceptable in practically any circumstances.”
UK government vows action against foreign interference
A UK government spokesperson said: “Any attempt by a foreign state to intimidate or harass individuals in the UK will not be tolerated. The government has made this clear to Beijing and has robust measures in place through the National Security Act.”
Despite the reinstatement of her work, Murphy remains cautious. “I’m not sure the university is as supportive as it used to be,” she said.
Her case has reignited debate over the balance between academic freedom and the financial pressures facing UK universities reliant on international students — particularly from China.
